


Doppelganger

by DarkHououmon



Series: A Shattered Spirit [1]
Category: ChalkZone
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-15
Updated: 2014-01-26
Packaged: 2018-01-08 21:32:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 136,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1137609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkHououmon/pseuds/DarkHououmon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You know, this game is pretty fun. You friends don't suspect anything. And by the time they do, it will be too late. And you know the best part, Snap? They think I'm you."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rude Awakening

The first thing Snap was aware of when he woke up was pain. Something splitting through his head, causing a pounding headache. The right side felt particularly sore. He had no idea what had happened. His eyes, unfocused, looked around the room, but all he saw was blackness. He could make out faint shadows, but that was it.

He let out a soft groan. The pain in his head got a little stronger. The grogginess which numbed the pain a little was going away. The more it hurt, the more he wondered just what had happened to him. Did he get hit by a brick or something? He wouldn't be surprised if that is what actually happened. His head hurt like it had hit against something hard like that.

He attempted to reach up to rub his head, but then he found, in horror, that he could not move his arm. He tried the other with no luck. He was unable to move his legs either. Panic swept through his mind. What was going on here? Why couldn't he move? He kept yanking on his limbs. Harder and harder he pulled. Each time, he heard a slight rattle. Chains... Again and again he pulled, but it was no use. At one point, he pulled so hard he almost pulled his own muscle. He winced in pain and held still.

He took in a deep breath. He tried to rationalize everything. There had to be a reason he was here. There had to be some kind of explanation. He knew there was. He just didn't remember it. And Rudy and Penny...where were they? He recalled the last time he saw them, they were returning home, and he was returning home too. Something happened between then and now that got him here. His heart clenched. Did his friends get captured, too?

He tried again to pull on his chains. His vision started to get a little better. He started to see some more shapes, more definitive outlines of where he was. It looked to be some kind of building. It was still hard for him to tell exactly where he was. But from what little he could see, he guessed he was in some kind of operating room. He could see a table below him and various tools laying about, stuff he'd expect to see doctors use. The table looked like it had darker colorations, but it was still hard for him to tell just what it is.

He soon stopped trying to pull on his chains. All he was doing was hurting himself. The chians were tightly hooked to...whatever this thing was a part of. The wall perhaps. He let out a few quick breaths. He tried to keep himself calm. He tried to will his heart beat back to normal. He didn't want his fear to start to cloud his judgment. Right now, he had to remain rational and think this through. This...this might just be temporary. Maybe his friends are on their way to help him now.

Snap heard the sound of footsteps. From the way they sounded, he could tell the floor was definitely made of linoleum or something hard like that. The footsteps came closer and closer, louder and louder. He noticed it sounded kinda similar to a horse when it trots. Close, but not quite, exactly. He heard the sound of a door handle turning. There was a squeak as the door was pushed open. He could hear it bang against the hard wall.

It was too dark to tell what the figure was. The only thing he could see for certain was that the figure was on two legs, and he thought he saw what looked to be a horn on its head. There wasn't enough lighting to make out any of the other details.

That changed in a second. With a flip of the switch, the entire room was suddenly illuminated. Snap had to shut his eyes and look away, clenching his teeth. When his eyes slowly adjusted, slowly, he looked around where he was.

Just as he thought. This was an operating room. There was so much white in this room it made him want to turn away. The floor was white, so where the walls and ceiling. It looked so pristine. It made him uncomfortable. It was too clean. He knew hospitals had to be clean for patients, but something about this, it was...just too clean. It was almost like it was prepared just for him. He glanced down at the table and his eyes flew open.

Well...it was almost clean...

The table below him, those darker marks he thought he saw..they weren't his imagination. And with the light, he could tell what they were now. And he wished he hadn't found out.

It was blood. The table in front of him, it was coated in dark blood. It had dried up and he had no idea how long it had been there. It could have been there for hours, days, or weeks. That did little to comfort him. The mere sight of that told him he was in big trouble. He felt his heart start to race and he tried to struggle again. His chains were hooked too him too tightly, securing him to what looked like a large metal ring. He was held up in the air right in the center of it, his arms and legs spread out at his sides.

He looked down at the figure, now being able to see them in the light. The zoner walking in was a unicorn. A two legged one, clearly anthro and female. She wore a dark orange robe of some kind that was wrapped tightly around her body. Her feet were bare; she needed no shoes as her feet had cloven hooves. Her hands were cloven, too, but it was in three seconds, making it look like she had three fingers. She had a long, lion-like tail with long tufts of hair at the end. Her mane was long and hung at both sides of her neck, draping over her shoulders. A hideous-looking scar, obviously achieved from a pair of claws, went across her horse-like muzzle, jagged and sharp-looking.

Her dark silver horn wasn't straight. It kinda twisted a little, looking quite imperfect, but at the same time, menacing. Her body was jet black in color. Her mane was only a few shades lighter than the rest of her body. Her mouth was colored a pale brown and blended in so well with the black that it was almost hard to tell it was even there. If she had any other markings, they were hidden under her robe. Her eyes were a piercing yellow, bright and contrasted well with the rest of her dark body. One eye did look a little different, and when Snap squinted, he could see a hint of a blue sliver in her right eye.

The unicorn made her way over to Snap. She didn't acknowledge the blood on the table as she passed by it. It was as if she expected it to be there. Like she had been the one to shed that blood. Snap's heart beat faster when she stood in front of him, her scarred muzzle flexing into a smile.

"Ah, I see you are awake. I was wondering when you would open your eyes. You must be so confused. Perhaps I should explain?" She said. Despite her overall pretty appearance, her voice was a little scratchy, like she had burnt the inside of her throat or something. Despite Snap not responding, she went on to speak anyway. "My name is Vice. And I am the one who brought you here. I'm sorry if your head is sore. I didn't have any tranquilizer darts left, so...I had to make due."

Snap wasn't sure what to say. He watched as Vice walked away from him. She went over to the tools laying about. He bit his lip and he felt his blood freeze. She picked up something and started to make her way back towards him. He saw that she had picked up a needle, a container attached to it. He understood what she wanted to do and he started to struggle.

His efforts were in vain. She gripped his left arm roughly with her hand. She pushed the needle through his skin. Snap yelped at the sharp pain. Slowly, Vice drew some blood out of his body. Snap whimpered a little, a persistant dull pain radiating off his arm. Either Vice didn't know how to take blood or she was just being rough with him. She pulled the needle out and walked away. She didn't bother trying to stop the bleeding. Snap winced as he saw his warm blood drip down, staining the ground below him.

"What do you want with me?" Snap asked, finally finding his voice.

Vice just smiled at him as she took the tube of blood and walked over to a drawer. She pulled it out and picked up some small amulet. It had some kind of weird design, all sorts of lines and it formed what he guessed was a face. He watched as she poured the blood she took from him into it. His eyes widened a little as the amulet started to glow red a little, and then the glow died down. The red lines remained.

Vice held the amulet up by the string it was attached to. She smirked as she stared at it, and then looked back at Snap. She walked over towards him and held the amulet in front of him, letting him get a good, long look at it.

"I needed you for this." Vice said, swinging the amulet from side to side. Snap watched it, unable to take his eyes away from the scary-looking face. She snatched it away suddenly, and Snap shook his head. He looked up at her. "You see, I have my own plans for ChalkZone."

Snap regained his senses, breaking himself out of his fear, and narrowed his eyes at the black unicorn. "What do you hope to accomplish?"

"Simple. I want to expose ChalkZone to the real world." Vice replied.

At this, Snap felt his heart skip a beat. Was this unicorn serious? Was she really going to...do something like that? That was crazy. That was practically suicidal. Why would she even think of going along with that? He could understand why Boorat did it; it was his whole purpose of being created. But why did this unicorn want to do it? What could she hope to accomplish?

He knew so little about Vice. There could be a number of reasons why she was doing this. But the only thing he could think of was that she was insane. Plain and simple. She had made a lair out of an operating room. That was freaky in of itself and may just be a small example of how creepy she really was. How far would she go to get what she wants? What did she plan on doing with him after all this?

"I'm sure you want to know why." She said calmly. Snap looked at her expectantly. She just grinned at him, turning her head to the side. "But I'd rather keep that a secret...for now. You'll learn more of my plan as time goes on."

Snap glared at her and started to struggle again. He couldn't allow her to get away with this. He...he had to stop her somehow. Again and again he pulled at his chains. They had to break at some point. They were strong, but if he kept at it, maybe he'd succeed. He couldn't afford not to try.

When he tried pulling his left arm, his eyes flew open in pain and he stopped, seething through his teeth. His arm was very sore already from the needle being jabbed in there. The puncture wound had clotted up for a little while, but he had reopened it with his struggling. Fresh blood started to drip down his arm again.

Vice stared at the bleeding arm, then back at Snap. She let out a chuckle. "You're not going anywhere, Snap. You will be staying here for a long time. So you might as well get comfortable."

Snap snarled at her, baring his teeth. "Rudy and Penny will find me. And when they do, you will be in big trouble..."

Vice just stared at him. At first, her expression was of shock and Snap thought he had gotten through to her. But soon he realized, it was a mock shock, and soon a smile replaced it. She chuckled as she turned her back to him.

"Oh I don't think so. Your friends won't even know you're gone." Vice said, her face stretched into a hideous grin. She walked over to what looked like a large cage with a cloth over it. She pulled the door upwards. Snap winced at the loud scraping it made. Vice stepped out of the way and looked at the blue and white zoner. "Snap, meet your replacement, Sol."

Snap watched the cage. It was too dark to see inside. But slowly a figure stepped out. And when he came into the light, Snap couldn't believe what he saw. It was a Snip. But how? Weren't they all taken to that one planet Rudy drew? He thought the ship was programmed to take them all there. How was this one here, and not being taken away by that ship?

Looking at the Snip, Snap had no idea how Vice thought that he was going to pass off for him. The features were all wrong. This Snip was too angular, the cape was too long, one foot was too big, and the coloring was off. Rudy and Penny might be fooled for a second, but once they saw this Snip up close and personal, they would be able to tell it wasn't him. Snap smiled a little as he realized Vice's plan was doomed from the start.

"There's no way this is going to work." Snap said, smirking down at his captor. "He looks nothing like me! My friends would have to be blind to mistake that miserable copy for the original!"

Sol glared up at Snap with contempt. His teeth were bared and Snap noticed that they were slightly jagged. "If I were you, I would hold my tongue."

Even the voice was different. It was a little deeper, and more sinister sounding. And the Boston accent wasn't there. Snap knew this plan was not going to work. He just continued smiling down at the two. He didn't bother saying anything. Why would he? If they didn't realize that their plan was going to fail, he would just let them find out on their own. He couldn't wait to see the look in their eyes when they realized their mistake.

His previous glee was replaced with confusion when Vice walked over to Sol. She held up the amulet that was filled with his blood. She put it around his neck. The 'eyes' of the amulet glowed for a second. Then what looked like a red foggy line started to swirl around the Snip. His body glowed a bright red. Snap had to look away; the light was too intense. When he looked back, he couldn't suppress the gasp of horror that came out of his mouth.

The Snip... Sol..he...he looked just like him now... Snap's breathing quickened, his heart racing. He felt like he was looking in the mirror. Every detail was perfect. The right shape, the right color, the right everything. Sol stuffed the amulet into his leotard, hiding it completely from view. Then Sol looked up at him. Snap's eyes widened as Sol grinned evilly at him.

"An exact replica..." Vice said as she walked around Sol once. "Very nice. This will do." She looked over at Snap. "Although when the blood gets too dry, I will have to take more."

Snap pulled his head back, looking at her in horror. He heard a chuckle and he glanced down at Sol.

"As long as it lasts me a while, that's all I need." Sol said.

Snap gasped at that. The voice now sounded just like him too. His previous elation that their plan was going to fail had faded away in a matter of seconds, practically dripping off his body like the blood on his arm. Although he wanted to be brave, fear started to overwhelm him. What if his friends don't see through this zoner's disguise? What if they don't realize something is wrong...until it was too late...?

Sol glanced up at Snap. He walked over towards him, folding his arms tightly against his chest. A nasty smirk tugged at his mouth. "Where is your previous determination, Snap? Where is that confidence you had before? Is it because you now see how much of a threat I am?" Snap glared at him, which just made Sol's smile broaden. "I will take that as a yes... Bucko."

Snap felt his body freeze when the doppelganger used his nickname for Rudy. Something about the use of that phrase, it clinched the fact that he really was now a perfect replica of him. Panic and fear filled Snap's mind. He glared at Sol, yet he could not stop his body from trembling. Sol smirked at him, and then turned and walked away. He headed towards the door.

Vice leaned against the wall. She watched as Sol opened up the door. She looked up at Snap. She and Sol both gave him evil smiles. "I have thought this out more than you think, Snap. And I know that your two friends are what stand in my way. So..I will have them taken care of." She gave a nod towards Sol.

Snap watched as Sol gave him a chilling grin, and then walked out the door. A cold chill went up his spine. He shook his head in denial. His friends were in trouble...and there was nothing he could do about it. He stared wide eyed at the door, his mouth open in horror. He was so focused on the door where Sol had left that he did not notice that Vice had walked around behind him.

He only noticed her when she slung her arm around him, pressing against his chest and her fingers pressed against his shoulder. She put her face close to his and whispered into his ear, "Things are about to get interesting..."

Snap couldn't suppress the shudder that went through his body as he felt her breath against his ear. He jerked away, but didn't say anything. She didn't reply, only laughed as she walked away and went out the door herself. She shut it behind, turning off the lights.

Snap found himself in the darkness again. This time, he was filled with more dread than before. He continued breathing in and out quickly. His mind raced. He hoped that, somehow, someway, his friends would see through the Snip's disguise and realize it's not him. If they didn't realize he was a fake in time...

...he feared the worse.


	2. The Beginning

Sol walked down the street of ChalkZone City. Some of the zoners waved at him. He put on the best smile he could and waved back. He guessed that they were friends of Snap. And just like he suspected, they were easily fooled. He hadn't needed to say a single word yet. Everything was going smoothly.

It did feel a little weird using this form. Although it wasn't as drastic as, say, turning into a dragon, it still took a little time to get used to. He'd see himself in the reflection of windows and, at first, would completely forget that it's him. He would have to remember to keep that in mind. He didn't want to accidentally blow his cover from forgetting that his reflection is supposed to look like Snap. If he did, the whole plan was going to go down the drain.

He continued to move through the city, trying to quicken his pace a little without looking suspicious. He wasn't sure what Snap would be doing at this time, though so far, no zoner had really thought his behavior odd. He did his best not to smirk as more and more zoners clearly believed he was Snap. So far, the trial run was a success. No one had thought him strange or weird. No one hinted that they thought he was a fake. This disguise really was foolproof. The only way anyone would suspect he wasn't Snap is if they found the amulet around his neck, and he was going to make sure no one is able to see it.

There was a part of him that felt...almost in awe...at looking like Snap. In a way, it was almost like being like Snap himself. As much as he hated the guy, he also kind of admired him. And that was why he was so bitter towards him, why he was bitter in general. He didn't like being just a 'copy of the original'. He didn't like that he was seen as just a mere clone. He didn't like being treated like the other Snips, banished to another planet. Most of the other Snips didn't really mind it. But for Sol, he thought it was a great injustice, an insult.

That was why he had agreed to work with Vice. She had come to that planet looking for a Snip. He didn't know how many she had considered, but she did choose him in the end. And he was glad that she did. She didn't give him the full details of her plan yet, but she did promise him a chance at being more than just a 'copycat'. A chance at something better.

He still couldn't get over it. This was it was like to be Snap. He looked around, several zoners either walking by or acknowledging him. But no angry mob chasing him, no hideous ship flying overhead to take him to what he saw as a concentration camp, none of that. Everyone was just treating him...like a normal zoner. Like he was one of them. They didn't see him like he was some misshapen clone. They didn't treat him any differently. They treated him...like anyone else.

Sure, Snips were 'born' just like any other zoner, through erasing of a blackboard. Sure, they were legitimately created just like any other zoner. But to Sol, they were treating Snips very differently. Taking them to their own planet might have sounded nice to some people, but not to him. And during his stay off that planet, when he was hidden away from the ship so it wouldn't go grab him and take him back, he had seen just how the Snips were treated around ChalkZone, and he didn't like it.

It wasn't that they were abused or anything. But the zoners seemed to treat them like they had done something wrong. The zoners were usually not very happy when a new Snip arrived, and some would even try to drive them away towards the ship faster. Sol had some suspicions that it was because of whatever past Snips have done, but he still disagreed with such behavior. He was tired of seeing Snips treated like they were just clones of the original. He was tired of seeing them pushed aside, and cast off to another planet. That...was going to change eventually. He would see to that.

Sol soon exited the city and headed out into the grassy plains, to where Vice mentioned Rudy and Penny usually showed up. Sol was a little nervous earlier that the disguise wasn't as foolproof as they thought, but now that he knew it was, he was more confident. For the moment, Vice didn't want him to try anything. She just wanted him to meet up with the two and see how well he can act like Snap. If he can't pull it off, the plan can't be lifted off the ground. Sol didn't think it would be too hard to accomplish. He had some idea of what Snap's personality was like. Yeah, this shouldn't be too bad.

The one thing he would have to be careful of is interacting with Rudy. And there were a couple of good reasons for this. Rudy's strong relationship with Snap, and what Rudy's involvement with the Snips.

Sol was well aware of how strong Rudy's friendship with Snap is. He knew that they hung out together a lot, as well as Penny, and had a lot of fun together. Out of everyone, Rudy was the closest to Snap, and knew him the best. He was the one who might see through his disguise if he made one slip up. Sol felt a lot of pressure building up onto his shoulders. If Rudy couldn't be fooled, then no one else would be. It was one thing to fool some zoners in the city, but it was another to fool Rudy. He was Snap's creator after all.

And for that, Sol also kind of admired Rudy. In a way, Rudy was the reason he existed...but that was also the reason he hated the boy. Because he was the very reason why he was like this, why he was a Snip, and why the Snips were treated the way they were. It was Rudy who had come up with that wretched plan of sending Snips to another planet. He was the one who created the planet and the ship to go along with it. It was his fault...all his fault... He couldn't wait until he was able to get back at the boy.

It was kind of weird. He had a sort of love/hate relationship with Rudy and Snap. Both of which, he admired to an extent, because both were the reasons he was alive. But at the same time, on the flip side, he hated them for the very same reason. In the end, hate was the stronger emotion, and he would gladly do away with them when the time came. He looked forward to that.

There was the chance that his hatred for Rudy would be so strong that he would do something Snap would not. And that would blow his cover. He needed to make sure to keep his attitude and temper in check. It was absolutely crucial that Rudy and Penny believed he was Snap. This first meeting with them was important. He needed to be able to fool them for long periods of time. This plan might take a few tries to get right. Vice warned him there might be a several failures, but assured him that, at some point, something will work, and everything will fall into place.

After this trial run is a success and he's able to impersonate Snap perfectly, he would then begin the next phase of the plan. His next assignment for tomorrow, should this day be a success, is to 'accidentally' appear in the real world somehow. And he was to try to show any human he saw that he was a drawing. Vice didn't care how he did it, just so long as he succeeded.

This was the first plan because it seemed the easiest one to try, and the easiest one to accomplish. He knew that it wouldn't be too hard to 'accidentally' fall through the portal into the real world. The only challenge was making it seem like an accident. Something simple, like pretending to trip could work. Or if the portal was high...he would have to think of something for that. Maybe slingshot himself and then claim he was thrown by..what was that jellybean's name.. Skar? Skwool? Skrawl? Yeah, Skrawl...that was it.

There were other plans that he and Vice came up with. In case one failed, he could try the next one. But he wouldn't try it the next day or anything. Vice told him to wait a few days, never the same amount two in a row, so that Rudy and Penny never realize what is happening. If he became too predictable, they might catch on and realize something is very wrong.

She warned him that the plan could take weeks to unfold, especially if the plans kept failing. Sol was willing to go along with it, however long it takes. He liked this form. He liked that he wasn't being treated like the other Snips. He liked that, for a time, it was like he was the original Snap. He didn't mind if it took a while. Plus, the end result would make it all worth it.

He didn't fully understand why she wanted to expose ChalkZone to the real world. He wasn't sure if she even knew of the consequences. But that was of little concern to him right now. He would think about those problems later on. What she promised him...it, to him, made exposing ChalkZone worth it. If there was one thing he always wanted, it was freedom for the Snips, for them not to be forced to live on that crowded planet and to be treated like other zoners, not just pests. Even if it were just a short time, even if something goes wrong after that, just a little time of freedom for the other Snips he felt was worth even the downfall of ChalkZone.

Besides, why should he care about ChalkZone? Why should he care about what happens to the other zoners? With how they treated the other Snips, he didn't really care. He had little reason to really like ChalkZone. The only reason he would stay here is to stay alive. He can't eat anything or drink anything for that matter in the real world. If he could live in the real world, he could, just for the sake of getting away from the zoners. The same zoners who treated he and his fellow kin like dirt, at least in his eyes that's how they were being treated.

Exposing ChalkZone felt like the perfect revenge plan. He didn't know why Vice was doing it, but the reason why he went along with it because he felt the other zoners deserved it. Letting any human walk into ChalkZone and treat the zoners like they weren't even sentient... Sol would love to see that. He would love to see the zoners get a taste of their own medicine. He would love to see them feel, for once, what it was like to be treated like a Snip. He smirked a little at this. Revenge was going to be glorious. He could tell that already.

In fact, he kinda wished he could see it now. Yet he would have to wait. As Vice said, it may take some time. All good things come to those who wait, as she said. For instance, it had taken them several attempts to kidnap Snap until Vice finally saw a chance and nabbed him. They now have Snap in their custody and he was not going anywhere. And while he'd have to wait before he could see the other zoners pay for their crimes, he would get to see Snap suffer.

Playing with Snap was going to be a lot of fun. It was a shame they could not kill him, at least not yet. Only when Rudy and Penny were...taken care of...could he have his way with Snap. But though they could not kill him, they could still toy with him. There were things worse than death. They could make Snap plead for death, beg to be killed. They could keep him just barely alive, and do all kinds of terrible things to him. And he was going to get to participate.

Vice had been a surgeon once, and she still remembered how to use those tools. The hospital they had trapped Snap in was part of her old place, where she used to work before it was condemned. She fixed it up sometime before this plan and had some 'patients' before going after Snap himself. Her knowledge of anatomy was going to prove useful in torturing Snap without killing him. Sol couldn't wait for when they first put him on that operating table. They were going to do that today after he came back from fooling Rudy and Penny.

Some might say he was going too far in his defense for the Snips. Some might say he should really think about his actions. But he didn't care. He was so determined to free his fellow kin from that wretched planet, he would do anything. And that really meant anything..including harm other zoners.

His thoughts were interrupted when he saw the beginning of a glow above him. He narrowed his eyes as he tilted his head up. Yes, it was almost show time now. Rudy and Penny were coming through the portal. As the circle was being completed, he smiled viciously at it. It was going to be fun tricking these two fools.

As soon as the portal was finished, and the gateway to the real world was exposed, Sol immediately dropped the evil smile, replacing it with one that he hoped looked genuine. He waved at the two children. "Hiya, Bucko and Buckette!"

That's what Snap would say isn't it? Yeah it had to be. Rudy and Penny smiled back at him, confirming that, so far, he was doing a great job at impersonating Snap.

"Hello, Snap! Sorry we're a little late." Rudy said as he jumped through the portal, landing in front of Sol. "We had to take care of something first."

"We hope you don't mind." Penny said, coming through the portal and taking a stand next to Rudy.

Sol folded up his arms. He had been a little annoyed with how long it took. And that annoyance was showing through, a result of him momentarily forgetting that he was supposed to be acting like Snap, not himself. Even as the two kids looked confused when his demeanor changed like that, Sol still went on to to say something that almost exposed him.

"Yeah, well, maybe next time you should be more careful, and you can avoid situations like this, doll."

At this, Rudy and Penny looked at each other, then back at Sol. Their eyes were widened. They were genuinely shocked by what Sol had said. They opened their mouths to speak, but quickly shut them. Sol watched them, his eyes still narrowed. It hadn't yet clicked with him that he had just made a mistake.

Rudy took a step towards Sol. He looked like he was having a hard time speaking. The shock must have affected him that much. "...Snap...? Are you okay...?" Rudy finally asked, his voice small and cautious.

"Yeah I'm fine!" Sol said, accidentally letting a little of his temper out. When he saw Rudy flinch, he tried to speak in a calmer voice. "Why do you ask?"

"Are you sure?" Rudy asked. "Is something bothering you?"

Penny moved a little forward. She stared at Sol, her eyes a little wide from his previous statement. She bit her lip for a second and said, "Yeah. You seem a little...miffed today. Are you just having a bad day?"

Sol opened his mouth to retort, then he quickly remembered what he was supposed to be doing. His eyes widened a little as he realized that he did almost blow his cover. He had forgotten that he was supposed to act like Snap. He was supposed to act friendly towards these two. They were Snap's best friends after all. He was lucky that, for now, the two still believed he was Snap.

He decided to use what Penny said. A bad day would be a good excuse for his attitude earlier. Besides, it wasn't like he could come up with any other explaination.

"Yeah that's it..." Sol said, doing his best to sound sincerely sorry. "I'm sorry, you guys." He made a mental note not to let his tempter show again. He would have to fight harder with himself not to let his hatred get the best of him.

Rudy and Penny did relax a little when he said that. It seemed to have worked.

"That's okay, Snap. We understand." Penny said, giving him a smile.

Sol did his best not to flinch when Rudy touched him on the shoulder. He stared at the hand, fighting to keep himself from swiping that hand back. He looked towards Rudy. That face, smiling face so close to his, it made him uncomfortable. Yet he had to remain there, lest he risk nearly blowing his cover again.

"Do you still want to go to that fair? You've been talking about it all week." Rudy said. "If you're not feeling up to it, though, we understand."

Sol shook his head. "No, I'm good. It was nothing serious anyway." He gave them the best smile he could muster. "Let's hurry up and go!"

Rudy and Penny nodded her heads, continuing to smile at them. And now the three were walking together, heading towards this fair the boy mentioned. Sol was pleased that he was able to keep in character good enough that he was fooling Rudy and Penny thus far. Now he just had to keep it up throughout the whole fair. And if he pulled this off...

...then the plan could commense.

He gave a small smirk, careful not to let the two kids see him. This was running pretty smoothly. A little shaky at the start, but that had been his fault. He shouldn't have let his anger get the best of him. But now he was back in character, perfectly impersonating Snap. They really did think, so far, that he was Snap. And if he played his cards right, they would be none the wiser, and if they ever do get it in their heads that he was an imposter, a doppelganger, it would be too late.

sss

"N-No...don't listen to him..!" Snap cried, his eyes wide in terror. "It's not me! Can't you guys see? It's not me!" He kept calling out in desperation, hoping, somehow, they could hear him. But his cries were in vain. He started to cry, shedding tears, his voice lowering into a whisper. "It's not me...it's not me..."

Snap went silent and he stared at the television screen that was placed in front of him. Vice told him that she could project what Sol sees onto the screen. She wanted him to be able to watch what was going on, with no other reason other than to torment him. And when Snap saw what was going on, as much as it horrified him, he couldn't look away.

Sol had done a pretty good job at impersonating him. None of the zoners suspected anything. He had been hopeful that Rudy or Penny could, somehow, see through the disguise. And when Sol nearly lost it and his two friends were surprised, Snap had hoped that Sol would be discovered. But to his dismay, he was not, and now he was going to the fair with his friends, and he was going to be forced to watch as he continued to play his friends for fools, and be unable to do anything about it.

Snap struggled against his chains again. He tugged as hard as he could. He needed to get free somehow. He had to. His friends were in danger. ChalkZone was in danger. He needed a way to warn the others about this plan. He kept pulling at his limbs, hoping that one of them would break free, preferably an arm so he could try to undo the shackles himself. But like all other attempts, the only thing he did manage to do was cause himself pain. This time, he almost dislocated his arm. After one final pull, he stopped, shutting his eyes tightly, not wanting to look at the screen any longer.

He began to wonder how he would get out of this. His friends had no idea where he was. They didn't even know he was captured. Because of that, they weren't going to look for them. Why would they look for someone they don't even know is missing? Snap might be here a long time, as Vice said, before anyone would find out what happened. His only chances were either Rudy and Penny figure out Sol is a fake, or he managed to free himself somehow. And both weren't very likely to happen any time soon, at the rate things were going.

He looked down at the operating table. Even though it was still dark, the television screen in front of him shined enough light and he could, again, see the blood on the table. His heart raced as he continued to stare at the operating table. He knew that, very soon, he would be on it, having who knows what done to him. Vice had made it clear to him that, after Sol came back later today, she was going to strap him down and have a little fun with him. She promised she won't kill him, but that was of little comfort to the blue zoner.

Vice did not tell him what she was going to do to him. And he kind of wished that she had told him. Not knowing was making the wait that much more unbearable. Knowing nothing was scarier, and this was definitely true in this situation. His mind was running rampant with thoughts of what kind of torture Vice and Sol had in store for him.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the door swing open. He looked over and he narrowed his eyes defiantly when he saw Vice walk into the room. She shut the door behind her and strode over towards the television. She positioned herself in front and folded her arms. She smirked as she watched what was going on.

"It seems Sol is doing a good job so far. Your friends think he is you." Vice said simply, the smile never fading from her face. She turned her head and looked over at Snap, who bared his teeth at her. "I do have to wonder what's going to happen when Sol manages to trap them as we go further into the plan. I wonder if they will realize he's a fake...or that you've betrayed them." There was cruel intent in her last statement.

Snap growled at this. "They would never think I betrayed them, you wretched witch!"

Vice narrowed her eyes slightly, but then relaxed them. She moved towards Snap. When she reached him, she reached her hand out towards him. Snap's angered expression was replaced with a horror-filled one and, not knowing what she was going to do to him, he cringed back and attempted, again, to struggle. He stopped when he felt her touch his cheek with her hand.

"No need for hostilities, sweetheart..." Vice said in a gentle voice. Snap looked at her, confused. "That's not going to get you far here."

Snap narrowed his eyes once more. "My friends will find me..." He said through clenched teeth. "Somehow, someway...they will... And when they do, you will be sorry."

"Hmph...such spirit." Snap flinched as Vice traced a hoof finger along his cheek and across his lips in an almost sensual manner. The act made him tense up, and he continued to stare at her warily, expecting her to hurt him at any second. Vice just smiled at him. "I will have to do something about that. And that time will come very soon."

Snap widened his eyes at this.

Vice smirked at him for a few seconds before she turned and walked away. She paused when she just barely passed the television screen. She gave him a sideways glance. "I am going to break you, Snap. I promise you that." With that, she disappeared out of the room again.

Snap glared after her, gritting his teeth in anger. But despite this defiance, this show of spirit, he was still terrified. He could feel his heart racing. He had no idea what was going to happen to him in the long run. He had no idea if he was going to get out of this alive or not. He had no idea if he was even going to get out of this room, and see his friends again, in person, not through a television screen.

And as the realization set in, as he realized that, this time, there might be no way out for him, he started to cry. Tears streamed down his face. As he cried, he was glad that Vice and Sol weren't back yet. They would have taken advantage of his current mental state. Through blurry eyes, he looked back at the television screen, watching helplessly Sol continued to fool his friends.

"I-It's not me, you guys...please...it's not me..." He said one final time before he started to cry harder.


	3. Painful Start

Snap couldn't stop shaking. He couldn't stop his teeth from chattering. And it wasn't because he was cold, although this room was a tad chilly. It was from fear. Intense fear that was growing inside of him. A sense of dread that he could not shake off. The darkness all around him just added to his fear. It was so dark, he could barely see anything.

He was strapped down to the operating table. His arms and legs were cuffed down in a manner that made it look like he was forming an X. Another cuff pressed tightly against his body, between his stomach and chest. And a couple other ones went across his neck and his forehead, keeping his head down. He was effectively immobilized. Having an idea of what was going to happen to him was bad enough, but the fact that he couldn't move during it...it just made it all the more terrifying.

Sol had recently gotten back from his 'trial run' with his friends. Much to Snap's horror, it had been a success. He had hoped that Sol would slip up again like he did initially, but he had quickly learned from his mistake and managed to put on a show that fooled even his closest friends. This put a dent in Snap's hope. If even his best friends couldn't see through the Snip's disguise, what hope did he have of escape?

He didn't want to believe it was hopeless, though. He did think that, at some point, someone will find out the truth. He had hope that someone would realize that Sol wasn't him and come looking for him. It was the only thing he could do right now. Hope...what else could he do? He was unable to fight back against his captors. All he had were his words...and that wasn't going to be very effective at getting him out of this mess. And physically, he couldn't do much against them, especially Vice.

When Vice and Sol unchained him, he had tried to fight back. Vice turned out to be stronger than he thought. The two worked together in keeping him still. As Vice held him down, Sol worked on getting most of his clothes off. His mask, cape, leotard, gloves, and shoes were taken off. Only his pants were left on. Vice said it was necessary to remove most of his clothes so she could properly...'play' with him.

Laying here on the operating table in just his pants make Snap remember the bizarre dream he had where something similar happened. Although that dream was more disturbing than truly frightening, and he wasn't really tied down to the table like he was now. And unlike in the dream, his stomach doesn't have some large zipper that opens up, revealing a lot of empty air. Whatever Vice planned on doing with him, it's going to be horrifically painful, especially considering she has no plans on giving him any anesthesia or even painkilers. He was going to feel everything.

Then, without warning, there was a click and the light above him turned on. The light was blinding, causing Snap try to turn his head to the side, eyes closed, teeth gritted. It was no use, and he remained there, his eyes shut tightly as the bright light was shined right above him. It took him a few seconds for his eyes to adjust. Slowly, he opened his eyes, keeping his gaze away from the light. He heard the sound of wheels squeaking and saw, out of the corner of his eyes, that something was coming towards him. Something silver and long... It hit against the table and bounced back a little. When it settled into place, Snap struggled to get a good view, and when he did, he wished he hadn't.

It was a tray, a different one from what he saw before, filled with all kinds of sharp tools, some more vicious looking than what he saw on the other tray when he first woke up. The tray was partially illuminated by the light, and partially in shadow. It gave it a very ominous aura. Snap couldn't looked away. His breathing quickened. He knew that some of these were going to be used on him very shortly.

He heard footsteps. His heart started to pound. It was time. His brief time of solace before the pain was now over. Now, whether he wanted to or not, he was going to experience pain like he never known before. His breathing became shakier, his eyes wide, as he heard the footsteps get louder. Unable to turn his head, he couldn't see who was walking towards him, but he knew who it was. And soon, seconds later, who stepped into view, it was exactly who he thought it was going to be.

Vice and Sol stood on either side of him, smiles on their faces. Vice looked more gentle in comparison to the downright eerie smile Sol was giving him. At the moment, Sol was out of his disguise. The blood had ran out when he got back and they would have to refill it later. Snap didn't know which was creepier. A mismatched version of himself staring down at him like this, or an exact replicate doing the same thing.

Snap attempted to get away again. He pulled at his arms and legs. He hoped that one of them would break free of their confines. He tried so hard to get away. Yet no matter how hard he pulled, it just wasn't going to work. He wasn't strong enough to break through metal cuffs like this. He was completely immobilized and absolutely helpless to stop Vice and Sol from doing whatever they wanted with him. His eyes followed Vice as she reached down towards the tray. She grabbed a scalpel and lifted it up.

The sight of the scalpel made Snap whimper and his body shook harder. He tried to shake his head in protest, but the metal band against his head made it nearly impossible to move his head that much. His eyes grew bigger as Vice moved towards him with the scalpel in her hand. He could see the cruel intent behind her sweet face facade.

"Please..d-don't do this.." Snap begged, letting out a soft whine. "Don't hurt me..please..."

At this, Vice just smiled and said, "Oh sweetie, it's not going to hurt that much. Trust me." She reached down and gently caressed his cheek. "It will be fine. I am not going to do anything that major to you yet. So just relax. It will be okay."

Snap shuddered at the way she said those words. She had spoken them kindly, yet he could tell she was anything but kind. Those words were not meant to comfort. They were only meant to put him at unease. He shook even harder as she moved towards his left arm. She placed one hand on his forearm, about where the cuff was, and pushed down, keeping his arm even more still than before. Then she slowly brought the scalpel down and soon he could feel the cold metal against his arm.

Then came the pain. Snap let out a scream as the tiny blade cut into his flesh. Vice had pushed it into the skin almost immediately after the cuff. She cut in deeply, slicing through his meat. She slowly cut upwards, taking her time. Snap continued to let out screams, tears of pain streaming down his face. His body trembled in shere agony as his arm felt like it was on fire. He tried to yank his arm away. His arm wouldn't budge an inch.

Vice just smiled as she continued to cut deeply into his arm. She moved the scalpel up until she reached the indent of his elbow. Then she pulled the scalpel out. Snap's momentary relief of the worst of the pain was short lived as she pressed the blade back into his arm, this time in a different location, on his side specifically. Snap screamed as he felt the cold blade slicing through his flesh once more. He started to sob uncontrollably as Vice continued to slice up his arm like he was just a piece of deli meat.

In desperation, Snap cried out, "Stop this! Please! Don't cut me anymore! I can't stand it!"

Sol narrowed his eyes in disgust at Snap. "Stop your sniveling! Be glad that we're letting you live after this!"

"N-No! Please!" Snap begged them. He stared at Sol and Vice with wide eyes. His lower lip quivered as he continued to cry. He tried again to struggle, attempting to kick his legs free. "Stop hurting me! Why?! Why do you want to do this to me?! What did I do to deserve this?!"

Snap's screams grew louder. As Vice continued to cut his arm open, as fresh blood continued to flow from the deep cuts, Snap's screams rose in volume. As he screamed, Vice's ears twiced, somewhat irritated by the scream. Yet she still pressed on. She moved the blade up towards his elbow, the blade in so deep it was scraping against his arm bone. Sol just smirked at Snap's screaming, obviously enjoying his pain.

Snap couldn't understand why they wanted to hurt him so much. What did he do to deserve this? What had he done to these two that made them want to cause him so much pain? His tears came faster as his screams continued. His screams echoed off the walls of the room, his heart racing even faster.

"Please..I beg of you! Stop this right now! Please let me go! I-I just want to go home...please...let me go home...!" Snap begged his captors. His face, by now, glistened with his tears, the skin slightly reddened and stingy. He looked up at his captors pleadingly, but he got no looks of genuine sympathy from them.

Although Sol clearly enjoyed his screams of pain, he did not like his begging. The Snip's eyes were narrowed dangerously and he bared his teeth at Snap. "Shut up! I'm tired of hearing you beg!"

"P-Please..." Snap started to say, only for his mouth to be gagged by Sol's hand.

"Shut up, you little louse!" Sol hissed into his face. "I don't want to hear another word from you!"

Vice was now cutting a third line along his arm, one the other side this time. Snap's eyes widened and he tried again to struggle. Though his screams were muffled by Sol's hand, loud whimpers still escaped. He couldn't hold them back. The pain..it was too much. Snap's mind raced, trying to think of a way to get away from this horrific agony. As Vice continued cutting up his arm, his muffled screams grew louder and louder. His eyes kept growing bigger, his body shaking terribly.

He...he had to do something to get away from the pain. His mind screamed at him to defend himself. He looked at his captors, frantically trying to find some way to fight back. He was desperate to defend himself. He wanted to strike back. His mind swiftly searched for a solution, something for him to use. And then it clicked with him. His eyes locking onto the hand covering his mouth, the next thing he did was out of pure instinct.

He bit down on Sol's hand as hard as he could.

Sol's eyes widened and he let out a cry of pain. He pulled his hand back and stared at it. There was indentions of where Snap's teeth had pressed against his skin. Sol stared at his hand for a second, and then glared harshly down at Snap. Growling softly, he pulled his uninjured hand back and struck Snap across the face, prompting him to cry out.

"Don't you fucking dare bite me again!" Sol snarled. "Or I will do much worse to you!"

Sol grabbed something from out of Snap's field of vision. It was a piece of thick cloth. Sol reached down towards his head. He looped the cloth underneath Snap's chin and then went around to the back of his head. He pulled the cloth as hard as he could, securing Snap's lower jaw firmly against his top. Sol then started to tie a tight knot, effectively securing his jaws in place. Unable to open his jaws anymore, Snap could not fight back when Sol put his hand over his mouth again, once more muffling his screams of agony and any attempt to talk.

Unable to scream, all Snap could do was weep. He cried as Vice sliced more of his arm up. He whimpered as he watched more of his blood seep from his arm. Warm red liquid coated his limb and dripped onto the floor. His heart continued to pound, panic and fear taking over his mind. He looked around, desperate to find a way to escape. Yet he found nothing. His last weapon had been tied shut and gagged. His sobs grew louder and tears streamed down the corner of his eyes.

Snap turned his eyes up towards Vice pleadingly. Unable to speak, he silently begged her to stop. Loud whimpers and whines escaped his throat. His body trembled terribly. It was scary enough before with him pleading for mercy and either getting ignored or harshly silenced. It was downright terrifying to not being able to speak a word to either of his captors. He felt trapped in his own body, unable to say anything in his defense. He silently wished that Vice would show him some level of mercy and at least knock him out to spare him having to experience the rest of this pain.

Vice, all the while, was smiling as she used the scalpel to cut into his bound limb. She turned her head and stared at him, looking into his pleading eyes. His low whimpers filled her ears, and her smile just broaded ever so slightly. She reached down and put her hand against his shoulder, gently squeezing it.

"Shhh..." Vice said in a gentle voice. "It's okay, honey. Just relax." She reached up and lightly ran her hoof fingers over the top of his head. "It will be fine. Shhh..."

This zoner was absolutely disgusting. Those words coming from his friends would be comforting. But from her, it was unsettling and twisted. She acted like she cared about his well being, but it was all an act. She was the one causing him pain. She was the one who was slicing him open. She was the reason he was in so much agony. She was the reason he was so terrified and trembling uncontrollably. How dare she pretend to comfort him like that.

All Vice's words did was make him feel even more frightened. He continued to whimper, shutting his eyes and letting his tears fall from his eyes. Vice kept stroking the top of his head with one hand while her other continued making bloody work of his hand. These two conflicting gestures filled him with terrifying confusion and made him try to struggle again, despite his past efforts being unsuccessful.

A dark chuckle escaped Sol's throat. He smiled down at Snap, looking gleeful at his suffering. "This is amusing. Better than what I expected. Maybe next time, I'll get to use the tools." Snap's whimpering increased at this, unwilling to look at Sol. "Won't that be fun, Snap?" He lowered his head close to Snap and spoke in a softer voice. "I think you and I will have lots of fun together. Don't you think?"

Snap felt Sol's free hand run along his right arm. He whimpered in fear, knowing that Sol was trying to indicate. As Sol caressed his right arm, Snap knew that Sol was going to, next time, cut up that arm. He was going to experience this all over again. He tried to shake his head in protest, but his head was still frozen, unable to move.

After Vice made a fourth long cut on his arm, she pulled the scalpel away. Snap thought, at first, that she was finished torturing him. But he was wrong. She simply moved the knife towards his elbow. She moved her other hand away from his head and she started to press around his elbow. Soon, she pressed a certain spot and Snap winced in pain from the pressure. She was locating a nerve...the same nerve that, if he hit his elbow wrong, would radiate with pain. His eyes widened as he realized what this meant.

In a matter of seconds, Vice plunged the scalpel deep into his elbow, slicing into the nerve. Snap let out a loud, muffled scream. His eyes widened so much he thought they were going to burst open. Tears came flowing faster down his cheeks. His body froze in pain for a moment, and then trembled in agony. His heart raced so fast he thought it was going to break apart. The pain was so intense that it was hard for him to breathe. He started to hyperventilate.

"Calm down, sweetheart." Vice said to the white zoner soothingly. Snap stared up at her with wide, pain-filled eyes. "You'll be fine. Calm down. Shh..." She placed her hand on his chest, feeling his heart beat against it. She let out a soft chuckle. "You really are getting worked up, aren't you, dearie? You should relax. This isn't that bad. It'll all be over before you know it. Don't worry."

By this point, Snap could no longer hear her. His mind was ringing with the echoing of his own screams. His eyes were shut tightly as he tried to bear the pain as Vice cut into his elbow. Shivers ran through his body. He kept letting out whines, whimpers, and cries. He wanted to scream so badly, but Sol still kept his jaws tied and mouth gagged, almost totally silencing him. His breathing came in sharp and quick, the hyperventilation getting worse. Adrenaline ran through his body, but it was unable to help him escape.

And as the seconds passed, the pain did nothing else but intensify. The pain spread along his arm, radiating off of it. With each cut, the pain just grew worse, adding onto the first cut. With Vice not bothering to stop the bleeding, Snap could feel himself lose more and more blood. The scent of blood, his blood, hung strongly in the air. The pain filled his head, swirling around like a dark cloud. He wanted so desperately to get away from the pain, but he was strapped to this table, unable to move. He felt like a cornered animal. He never felt so scared and terrified in his life.

"I enjoy seeing you like this."

Snap opened his eyes just barely and looked up at Sol. He was grinning maniacally down at him. Snap didn't know which was more unsettling to look at. Vice's sickeningly fake sweet smile, acting like she cared about him all the while causing him nothing but pain and misery, or the way Sol was looking at him, with apparent cruel intent behind his psychotic smile. Vice was eerily calm and so fakely nice it was unsettling. And Sol was clearly unstable, and Snap had a feeling he was going to do much worse to his right arm than Vice was doing to his left.

"I look forward to hearing you scream again." Sol said, causing Snap's eyes to widen a little more. "I have waited a long time to hear you cry like this. And soon, you'll be screaming because of me." A sick, twisted smile spread across the Snip's face. "Won't that be fun?"

Sol was still running his hand along his right arm gently. He could feel him gently squeeze it, and he knew that Sol was feeling his arm so he could decide where he wanted to cut him when it was his turn later on. It scared Snap feeling Sol do this to him, especially knowing that, next time, he wasn't going to be so gentle. And the conflicting gestures, the sharp pain in his left arm, the gentle caress of his right arm, unsettled him, bringing about a whimper.

Why were they doing this to him? Why? He wished he knew why. He wished they would at least tell him why they wanted to hurt him so badly. He wished they would leave him alone, leave him in peace. He wanted Vice to stop cutting him and leave him in solace. He just wanted to be left in peace. Why won't they leave him alone? Why do they find the need to torment him so much?

He didn't bother looking up at his captors anymore. He kept his eyes shut as he whimpered continuously. He..he just wanted to go home... He wanted to crawl into bed and go to sleep... He wanted to be with his friends. He wanted cuddle with Rudy and Penny, have them tell him everything was going to be okay. He wanted comfort and reassurance. He wanted to get out of this terrible place. He wanted everything to go back to the way it was.

Then as Vice plunged the knife into his upper arm, hear his shoulder, the pain started becoming too much for his mind to handle. And as it increased, he felt his mind start to go numb. A cold chill swept through him, his body convulsing violently, his limbs flexing from the pain. Then, mercifully, he felt his world darken and his senses going numb, the pain going away. His eyes slowly closed, his body laying limp on the table. In seconds, he passed out, his world going dark.


	4. Fearful Aftermath

Snap's low cries filled the abandoned hospital room. Horrible dull pain still radiated off his arm. His body shivered from a mixture of cold and fear. He was still almost naked besides his pants. His captors hadn't bothered to redress him. He thought he heard Vice say something like it was a waste of time since they'll be taking them off again anyway.

He glanced at his arm and winced. Vice had stitched his cuts closed, and he could see the ugly things snaking up his arm, the stitches looking almost as twisted as Vice's horn. Vice had horrifically sliced up his arm, from his forearm to his shoulder. He could still feel the blade cutting into him. Its cold metal slicing into his flesh...his skin practically screaming from the pain. The cuts had been very deep, hitting against the bone. And Vice had taken her time, for no other reason than to prolong the pain.

He didn't know why she did this to him. She didn't know why either of them wanted him to hurt so much. Why did they hate him so much? What had he done to them? What did he do to deserve this? He wanted answers, but he doubted he would get any from them. They...they were insane...twisted...disgusting... Any sense of reality escaped their minds, and they just did what they pleased.

And knowing that it was just the start...that he was going to go through that again at some point, it made it all the more terrifying for him. Knowing that he was going to be in even more pain.. It was too much for him. He wanted to go home so badly... He wanted to lay down on his own bed and sleep. He wanted to go home...He just wanted to go home...

The only moment of relief he had was when he had passed out on the operating table. The pain from that witch slicing his arm up overwhelmed him and he was not able to keep himself conscious. Being 'allowed' to pass out like that was the only form of mercy he got from those two monsters. Well that and his arm being stitched up afterwards. Not that it really made up for what they did to him in the first place. During the time he was knocked out, though brief, it was such a relief to him. No pain, no agony... He wished it had lasted longer. He wished that he had remained passed out, for when he was unconscious, he couldn't feel the pain.

But of course, all good things come to an end. The moment Snap woke up, it was all too soon. He hadn't been confused for very long, maybe a minute or so. But as his grogginess disappeared, the pain came back. Mild at first, but then, as he became more and more aware, the pain just got worse and worse. And it didn't take long for the horrific memories of what happened to seep into his head. Flashes filled his mind, and he was unable to stop the horrific imagery from entering his head. Their sinister smiling, the blade cutting his arm, Sol muffling him, the horrific pain...

Snap instinctively tried to move. He found he was unable to, and looking around, he could see why. He had been moved from the operating table back to the wheel thing where he was chained in the first place. The cold metal digging into his skin, his limbs stretched out at the sides, Snap was again immobilized, but this time, he was back in the air, not on the table. Not like that really mattered.

When he tried to pull his injured arm, shockwaves of pain spread throughout the limb. Unable to hold it in, he let out a cry of pain. He stared at his arm, his body trembling. The damage was more extensive than it appeared. Vice must have cut into several nerves, the right ones..ones that would cause the most pain. Her being a surgeon, it would make sense that she could do that kind of damage, much to Snap's horror. He wondered, with a fright, if they were going to do the same to all his limbs so that he couldn't move at all. The thought sent chills down his spine.

He didn't know how long he had been awake. Had it been a few minutes? Half an hour? Two hours? He didn't know. The silence was almost deafening to him. Nothing could be heard. Absolutely nothing..outside his breathing and crying that is. The room was dark again and he could barely see anything. He kind of liked it that way, for he knew the operating table below him was now covered in his blood. He didn't want to see that...yet he knew he was going to whenever Vice and Sol returned.

He didn't know where they had gone. They probably went out to fool his friends again. He gritted his teeth a little at the thought. He hoped that his friends would find out the truth about Sol soon. They were..they were his only chance at getting out of here. If something bad happened to them he didn't know what he was going to do. It was bad enough that they were torturing him for no reason. Why do they have to hurt his friends too? They didn't deserve this either.

Snap didn't like being alone in a place like this. It scared him so much...but it was even worse when the only 'company' he was getting both wanted to hurt him and his friends. In this case, he was torn. Yet as horrible as being alone in this situation was for him, he'd rather be alone than be with those wretched monsters. At least at the moment, he had some solace. For now, he could relax a little. And, unlike before, he didn't have a television screen in front of him. He didn't have to watch Sol make a fool out of his friends. It had been horrible to watch that and not being able to do anything about it. He wished he could have broken free and get to them. But bound like this, there was nothing he could have done.

He looked at his currently undamaged right arm. A shudder went down his spine as he felt Sol's hand massaging it earlier, feeling how thick his flesh was and, obviously, deciding where to cut him. He knew his right arm was next. Whenever he was strapped to that table again, Sol was going to cut up his right arm, and Snap knew it was going to be a lot worse. He would sense that Sol really didn't like him for some reason. He didn't understand why. What had he done to the guy to deserve this kind of treatment from him? He wished he knew.

Sol was going to mess up his right arm. He knew he was going to. He could already feel the scalpel slicing into his skin. He could feel Sol trying to do as much damage as he could to the arm. He could feel the blood pouring out of the limb, and he could picturing it staining the ground. The sight of his own blood, horrible pain, unrelenting fear, these were all things he knew he was going to become well acquainted with here. And there was nothing he could do about it.

Then the door opened up. Snap moved his head, flinching as the light was turned back in, hurting his eyes a little. As his eyes adjusted, he saw Vice and Sol entering the room once more, shutting the door behind them. Both of them wore smiles, Sol's looking more obviously sinister, as they looked towards him.

Snap felt his heart racing just from the sight of them. Memories of the pain stung his mind once more. He felt his breathing become faster. He wanted to struggle to get away, despite the pain he was in. His body shook a little harder. And the two of them hadn't even done anything to him yet since they walked in. All they did was look at him. But their expressions alone told him enough. They did plan on hurting him again. Maybe not now. Maybe not in an hour. But sometime soon, they were going to hurt him again, and all just for sadistic pleasure.

He watched as Vice went over towards him, pulling out the needle she used on him before. Had she bothered to clean it? Now that he thought of it, why would she even care about that? She had shown she didn't really care about him. Then she started walking towards him, and his eyes widened in horror. As she got closer, his heart clenched tighter, filling with dread. He attempted to struggle, careful not to move his damaged left arm that much. Vice ignored his struggles and just continued to get closer. Soon Snap's low cries increased in volume, sobbing in fear harder the closer Vice got to him.

"No...get away from me...please..." Snap whined softly, tears flowing down his face. "D-Don't come any closer...leave me alone...please..." He was ignored, and he watched in fear as Vice continued walking towards him.

He wanted to be brave. He wanted to remain defiant against these two. He didn't want to give them the pleasure of watching him be so afraid. But after what had happened, with Vice cruelly cutting up his arm, him not being able to plead for mercy, his psyche had been damaged. Much of his spirit had been crushed. He still clung onto hope, but he was so afraid of these two...so terrified...He was unable not to panic was they stayed in the same room as him.

Before he knew it, Vice was next to him. Snap cringed and tried to get away from her. She held up the needle. She gripped his left arm roughly, not caring how tightly she held it. Snap let out a cry of pain. Then it got worse as she jabbed the needle into his arm, right into one of the cuts. Horrible, burning agony filled his mind and he screamed louder, trying to pull his arm away.

Vice kept the needle stuck into his arm. She slowly pulled it outward, taking her time drawing his blood. Snap cried, letting out a few screams, as she squeezed his left arm tightly, causing his arm to radiate with horrific pain. Then, finally, she got the amount of blood that she wanted. She pulled the needle out and released his arm. The relief was almost instant as the extra pain ceased almost immediately. Snap hung his head, his tear-filled eyes widened, and he breathed in and out quickly.

The twisted unicorn walked over with the vial of blood and lifted the amulet out from underneath the Snip's leotard. She put the blood into it, causing the amulet to glow once more. Sol closed his eyes as his body glowed red and his body shifted. And now, just like before, he was an exact replica of Snap. He sneered in Snap's direction, prompting a whimper from the injured zoner.

It was so confusing for Snap to see Sol looking like him, especially after how bady injured he was. Sol was uninjured, an exact copy of him, every detail perfect. And here he was, the real Snap, bound in the air, his arm sliced up like some fancy deli meat. This confused his mind, giving him a headache. He closed his eyes and looked away.

"I would love to stick around here, but I need to leave. Got another mission to take care of..." Sol chuckled evilly, folding his arms against his chest. "But don't worry. We'll play together soon enough."

At this, Snap moved his head up and stared at Sol in horror. He slowly shook his head in protest. "No..please don't..." Whimpering, he lowered his head a little, his eyes still locking onto Sol's. "Please don't hurt me anymore..."

Sol just laughed at this. "You know, maybe I was wrong to silence your sniveling before. Listening to you beg for mercy as I play with you might be most enjoyable." Snap's eyes widened in horror as the evil Snip laughed again, sending cold chills down his spine. Sol gave him one last nasty smile before he abruptly turned and walked away. "Well, I'll see you later, Snap."

After Sol left, Snap stared at the door he walked through in horror. His heart tightened, unable to stop the uncomfortable feeling in his chest. The way Sol talked so casually about it, the way he sounded almost excited... If he was scared of when Sol would cut his arm, he was now downright terrified. It was clear that Sol was going to enjoy being the one hurting him, and that he looked forward to doing so. Snap could only imagine just what Sol was going to do once he gets his hand on that scalpel...

Snap let out a panicked scream when he saw Vice had already returned to him. He shook his head frantically, trying to pull himself away. His arm hurt horribly, but that didn't stop his panicked mind from trying to get away from this terrible person. He struggled against his chains, clenching his teeth tightly, letting out whimpers of fear. The chuckles emitted from Vice's throat filled him with dread. He turned his head away from her, praying that she would leave him alone.

He almost had a heart attack when Vice placed her hand on his cheek. She pushed his head over, forcing him to look at her. She put her face close to his, her hand now gripping his chin. That smile on her face...the same smile as she was cutting him up... Flashes of her using the scalpel to cut into his arm filled his head. He tried to jerk his head free. He started to sob harder as he realized he couldn't break free of her grasp.

"Please, I-I beg of you...!" Snap cried in fear. "Let me go! I just want to go home! Please!"

"Shush now...It will be okay." Vice said in a calm voice. She moved a hand up to caress his cheek. The other stroked the top of his head in an almost affectionate manner. Snap whined lowly as she did this, looking at her in absolute fear. "You will be fine, honey. You will be fine. Just calm down."

Snap clenched his teeth and his body trembled. He felt Vice caress his head. He wanted to try to get away, but where could he go? He could jerk his head back, but that wasn't going to stop Vice from touching him like this. One of her hands ran along the side of his cheek, and the other hand continued to stroke the top of his head. Her touching was uncomfortablely gentle. If this had been done to him by a friend, he would have found it comforting. But done by this witch, it only served to frighten him more, knowing that, at any second, she could hurt him.

Vice traced a hoof finger across his lips, letting out an amused chuckle. "I'm sorry it has to be this way, Snap. But I don't have much of a choice. You see, I need you for this. You will have to stay here for however long this takes. So, for now, this is your home."

Snap whimpered, "Why...? Why are you doing this...? Why are you hurting me...?"

"Oh you dear sweet child..." She grazed a hoof finger from the bottom of his cheek and up towards his head. "That...would be telling." Her hoof finger now traced along the top of his head and then moved towards the back his head. She pressed her hand firmly against it, pushing his head forward slightly. "But don't worry. You will find out soon enough..."

Snap's body shook harder. He wanted to turn his head away. He wanted to fight back. He wanted to do something. But he was frozen in fear, the memories of the pain clinging to his mind too strongly. His arm still aching from the pain didn't help the situation.

Vice moved a hand onto his chest like she had before. She pressed it firmly in the center. "Your heart is beating too fast. You must relax. I'm sorry if I'm scaring you so much. But this is the way it has to be, unfortunately." She said in a kind-sounding voice. Snap stared at her in fear. "You should calm down, sweetie. Calm that racing heart."

Vice moved her hands onto his shoulders. She gently massaged them, rubbing them in her fingers. She moved them to his neck, rubbing it carefully. Then her hands found their way to his face again. She rubbed his cheeks, gently touching his lips briefly with her fingers. She started to lean in a little closer to her. Her face moving close to his made Snap panick. He attempted to struggle again, jerking his head from left to right. Out of desperation, he tried to bite her. He slammed his jaws shut at one of her hands, prompting her to pull it back.

Once his face was released, Snap turned his head away. He didn't want to see her anymore. He didn't want to be here anymore. Why couldn't he just go home? Why wasn't he allowed to leave? Why did this evil person have to keep him locked up in here? All he wanted to do was go home and lay down... All he wanted was to be with his friends and have a good time. Was that so wrong?

And now, he was going to be trapped here for who knows how long, and he couldn't do a thing to change it. He was chained in the air, most of his clothes off, and he was going to be tortured during his stay. And both of his captives were clearly mentally insane. One seemed to hate him for no reason, and the other wanted to expose ChalkZone, again for no reason. He wished his friends would find him soon. He...he didn't know how long he was going to last here... He didn't know what was going to happen to him.

He let out low cries and whimpers, tears streaming down his face. His friends...he hoped they would be okay. He hoped that Sol and Vice wouldn't hurt them. He didn't want them to suffer either. He wanted them to remain safe. He hoped, for his sake and theirs, that they see through Sol's disguise before it was too late. If Sol and Vice got what they wanted, so much would be at stake...so many lives ruined...

Snap's thoughts were interrupted when he felt Vice touching his face again. He let out a whine of protest, trying to pull away from her. He jerked his head left and right. This stopped when Vice grabbed his face in her hands, holding on tightly. He looked up at her, his heart pounding against his chest, body trembling in fear.

Then, to his horror and disgust, she kissed him on the forehead. At this, he let out a loud cry of fear. He struggled to pull his head away, but she just held on as she smiled at him. "You must be so hungry and thirsty right now. Don't worry. I'll make sure I'll get you something later tonight or tomorrow morning. I can't have you starving to death during this, now can I? I don't know how long this is going to take."

Vice took a step back, smirking at his terror-filled look. She turned and walked away. Snap watched her, his mind still in shock of what she had done. Obviously he had done that to freak him out, and it worked. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her as she moved towards the door. And as she opened the door, she gave him one last smile, causing him to gulp and cry.

"Don't cry, sweet little thing." Vice said in a kind voice. "You'll ruin your pretty face..." Then she went out the door, leaving him alone.

There was some sense of relief of being alone here. With both Vice and Sol gone, Snap relaxed a little. His heart beat slowed down and the feelings of dread and fear lessened. They didn't go away completely; he was not out of danger yet. But it was better than before. He managed to slow his breathing down and his body slowed its trembling. He was still cold and afraid, but at least, for a while, he got a little bit of solace, some time to relax before they got back to hurt him more.

He stared at his left arm again, wincing as he saw the patchwork she did on it. The stitches jetting out of his skin made him remember the pain all too well. He tried to pull the arm again and the pain was worse than before. He let out a scream of agony and stopped pulling at his arm. He wasn't going to be able to use that arm properly in a long time. He just knew it. His heart raced when he thought about Sol. He was going to damage his right arm. If it was going to be worse... He was going to be in trouble...

He wished he had been brave and fought back verbally. He wished he had given Vice and Sol a piece of his mind. There was so much he wanted to say to them. There were so many choice words he could have used against them. He hadn't known them for long and already he hated them so much. But he couldn't bring himself to say a word against him. He was only here for...not even a day he thought, and already he was horrifically traumatized. And it was only going to get worse.

And Vice's kiss..was it a preview of what was about to come? Was she going to go a step further and...? He shook his head feverishly, trying to push that nasty and terrifying thought out of his head. As much as he wouldn't put it past her, with how she was so fakely nice, it wasn't something he wanted to think about. He was shaken up enough. He didn't need Vice to also be so...so...he couldn't even think of the right word for her right now.

He looked back towards the door. He knows that Vice will be back shortly. She only left to fetch the television screen again. And when she returned, he was going to be forced to watch as Sol manipulates his friends, and he'd be helpless to do anything about it.

The only thing he could do was wait... He could only wait and hope that someone will see through Sol's disguise, and realize that the real Snap was in trouble. And he hoped it was soon. Time was running out.


	5. At Nightfall

"Wow, that was a great move, Snap! You won again!" Rudy said, smiling at his friend.

The blue zoner smirked at him. "Hey, what can I say? I'm a whiz at this game!"

"We can see that." Penny said, giggling a little. "You won the last five games."

Rudy enjoyed days like this. No trouble was being wreaked across ChalkZone. Skrawl wasn't doing anything. Neither was Jacko or Craniac 4 or any one else. It was nothing but peaceful, allowing him and his friends to have fun. There was so much to do in ChalkZone. He was always excited to come here, regardless if he had to be the hero or not. As much as he took his job as protector of ChalkZone seriously, he enjoyed some down time where he could be with his friends and just have fun.

Today, he decided to play another round of chinese chalkers. He hadn't done that in a while. The last time he could remember playing that game was when the Quicksand Man had struck. And they weren't even able to finish that game because of said villain. They were thrust into danger unexpectantly and, well, saving citizens of ChalkZone was more important than finishing some game.

Rudy found he did have some extra time. His parents were out late. So he asked Snap if he wanted to play some chinese chalkers. He was a little surprised by the way he replied. It was a yes, but it was hesitant and wary, almost like he had forgotten what the game was. He shrugged it off. It was nothing, really. He was probably just misinterpreting it. Snap's mind was likely on something else when he had asked, and that transferred into his response.

He also made sure to ask Penny. She said yes and she managed to get into ChalkZone without having to worry about her mom sneaking into her bedroom and finding her gone. They weren't going to be gone too long anyway. They were just going to play a few games of chinese chalkers and that was it.

Rudy liked Snap's treehouse in the night zone. Being in here, sometimes he forgot that the sun doesn't rise or set in ChalkZone; everything is rigid. A strict night zone and a strict day zone. And night zone was quite beautiful. Looking out of the window, he could see the dark yet colorful sky, patches of dark blues and purples intermixed with the black. The stars above twinkled a little. And Snap's treehouse itself, it was simple, quaint, but very homey and comfortable to be in. He and Penny spent at least one night in here once. A rare occassion where they could have a sleepover without worry of their parents.

But unfortunately, tonight wasn't one of those nights where he could stay over. It was too late at night to pull another 'sleepover' attempt. So, as much as he didn't want to, he would have to stop playing chinese chalkers and go back home. Penny knew as well it was almost time to leave. If Rudy didn't get back soon, his parents would return and find him missing. Then he'd have to find some way to explain his absense as they call the police and try to get people to look for him. His dad might usually be laid back in regards to this, but at night, even he would be very worried.

It was a shame to end the game now. He, Penny, and Snap were having so much fun. But all good things must come to an end at some point. He could always come back tomorrow and play some more rounds with his two friends. Or they could do something else. With how peaceful it's been lately, they could go on a safari or something. He had wanted to go one of those tour things Snap holds sometimes for newly erased drawings. That would be pretty fun to sit through.

Rudy slowly climbed up to his feet. He stretched himself out, feeling his back crack a little. He looked down at Penny and Snap. Suddenly feeling a little tired, he yawned softly and said, "Well it's getting late. We should be heading back before our folks find that we're gone."

Penny's eyes widened a little. "Oh that's right! I almost lost track of time!"

"That's understandable." Snap said, pointing his hand towards Penny. "We were having such a great time and you know what they say. Time flies." He chuckled lightly. "Well we can always play tomorrow, can't we, Bucko?" Snap turned his head towards Rudy.

Rudy smiled. "Sure, Snap!"

He waited for Penny to get off the ground. Snap went over and picked up all the pieces for chinese chalkers. Snap then put the board and the balls away, setting them on the small shelf he recently got for his tree house. He turned to him and Penny as they were about to go down the steps. He waved goodbye to them, and they waved back.

The two of them headed down the steps of the tree and jumped off when they reached the last one. They looked over towards day zone. They could see the steps Rudy had drawn so they could get down without hurting themselves. And there was the portal. Well one of the portals anyway. There were two they had to draw. One for Rudy, which was the one they were looking at, and one for Penny. She had her own piece of magic chalk which she used to get into ChalkZone. So after they leave night zone, they would have to separate.

But it wasn't too big of a deal. Penny didn't live that far away. So naturally, the portal wouldn't be that much further. But they decided to try to avoid double portals in the future. Penny thought it was a pretty big risk and Rudy agreed with her. So they decided, in the future, to be more careful about this sort of stuff. They would just have to be more clever about how to get Penny into ChalkZone at night; that's all. The easiest way was if Rudy had Penny come over, or he go over to her place. Not too hard of a task; he just hoped that their parents wouldn't start to question about how often they were seeing each other.

The two of them walked together back towards day zone. And as they walked, Rudy's thoughts went to Snap. He hadn't mentioned this to Penny, but something seemed...a little off about his behavior. He had known Snap to be in bad moods in the past, but he had never, well, snapped...the way he did to Penny before. He had always been so vocal about how he felt, but this time, for some reason he was a little broody and seemed to try to keep things in a little. He still hadn't explained just why he was in such a bad mood. And that wasn't like Snap; he'd always tell right away.

But even during the game, even after Snap said he was fine, something just felt off. He couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. Maybe it was the way he talked, how he used certain words, his overall presentation, his behavior. But something about him seemed different. Could he be lying and that he was still angry about whatever had happened? Yeah, that was a possibility. But then, why hadn't he told them about this? He usually would.

Then...there was always the first time for everything. He wasn't going to keep prying into Snap's personal life. He didn't want to be rude. The zoner probably just needed some time to deal with..whatever it is on his own. It couldn't be too important anyway. Nothing life-threatening. He was probably just peeved about some argument or misunderstanding he might have had with another zoner. While most zoners got along with Snap, there were some that were more argumentive towards him. That was probably the root of the problem.

He hoped that, whatever is going on, it isn't too serious. He would hate to think of what might happen if Snap ended up in danger somehow. If anyone tried to hurt him, he would be there to protect him, and so would Penny. He hoped that someone wasn't causing trouble for Snap, resulting in his seemingly peeved nature as of late. He tried not to dwell on it. He wouldn't push Snap any further. He would just have to wait and see if he would be more talkative later on. But if he came back with some kind of injury, like a bruise, he would make him talk. Because, at that point, it would be personal.

Soon, he reached the portal that led to his house. He looked over at Penny and smiled at her. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, Penny!"

"Yeah. Goodbye!" Penny said to him, waving goodbye.

The two children went their separate ways. Rudy made his way up to his portal. As he reached the top ad clung to the edge, he looked down and watched as Penny sprinted in the direction of her portal. He could kind of see it in the distance, though it was hard to see it in clear detail. He smiled as he watched her run. He looked forward to having fun with her and Snap tomorrow. Some games, exploring, such fun ChalkZone was.

He hoped that nothing bad was going to happen tomorrow. He hated thinking about how their trips of fun were interrupted by some villain or jerk or unfortunate event or what have you. He was enjoying the more peaceful times lately for ChalkZone. He was happy to get some rest from all the danger that had happened lately. He hoped, strongly, that tomorrow would be the same.

He pulled himself through the portal. He made a miscalculation and he ended up sprawled on the ground after he crashed. He let out a soft groan before he picked himself up. He looked over towards the chalkboard. He didn't waste time erasing the portal. Once the portal was erased, he quickly dressed in his pajamas and climbed up the steps to his bed.

And he had done this in the nick of time. As soon as he had everything set and he was in bed, pretending to be asleep, he heard the door open up. Light shined into the room, making him having to cover his eyes with the blanket as it was so bright. He didn't have to look to realize it was his parents. He heard them speak in soft whispers before shutting the door, putting his room into darkness once more.

He took in a deep breath. He couldn't believe just how close he had gotten to being caught. He would have to be careful next time. If he had gotten out of that portal just a couple minutes later, his parents would have walked in on him coming out of ChalkZone. And that would not have been good. He couldn't fathom what would happen if they found out about ChalkZone... He weas going to have to be very careful in the future.

Tiredness growing stronger, Rudy felt his eyes flutter shut, and found it hard to keep open. He laid on his side and rested himself on his bed. His mind started to shut down as sleep started to take him over. And soon, he had fallen asleep completely, letting the darkness take him over.

sss

Snap let out a cry of pain as he felt the cuffs on his hands suddenly release him. No longer chained to the wheel thing, gravity quickly did its job and he fell onto the hard, unforgiving floor with a loud thud. He laid on the ground for a few moments, groaning softly. His left arm still hurt him, and the fall didn't make things any better.

He glanced over at his arm and his eyes widened when he saw a little bit of blood leak out of the stitched wounds. The fall must have agitated some of the wound, reopening it and causing him to bleed again. He did calm down a little when he realized it was just a tiny bit of bleeding and it had quickly stopped. But that was of little comfort to him, as he knew what was about to happen to him later on. He looked at his right arm warily, wincing as he imagined the deranged Sol slicing into him like he was a cake or something.

He didn't have long to stay on the ground. As he struggled to his feet, he heard footsteps coming towards him. He knew who they belonged to and he let out a low whimper, his body shaking. He barely managed to stagger to his feet as he looked up and saw Vice standing there. She had walked up towards him as soon as he was released from his chains.

Snap would have broke into a run. His legs weren't damaged, and he still had enough energy to run. But Vice had moved in too quickly. He had just barely gotten to his feet when she reached out and grabbed him by his uninjured arm. She hoisted him in her direction, prompting a cry of fear from the boy. Snap attempted to struggle, but it was no use. There was no way she was going to let him go. He felt his feet draw along the ground as she dragged him.

Snap wasn't sure what Vice was going to do to him. She didn't give any forewarning to releasing him like that. She didn't announce to him her intentions. She just released him and now she has him by the arm. He thought at first that she was going to put him back on the table. But when she started dragging him past that, he knew that couldn't have been the reason. But then, what could it have been? Snap's body shook in fear as he thought about all kinds of things that this monster would do to him, all just for fun. Slicing up his arm...he knew that was only the beginning. So much more was going to come...and he knew he was going to hate it every step of the way.

Snap wanted to fight back. He wanted to do more than struggle. He wanted to bite her, kick her, punch her, whatever it took to get free. He didn't want to be afraid of her like this. He didn't want her controlling him the way she had. Yet, he found himself too frozen in fear around her. Every time he looked at her now, all he can think of was the pain in his arm. It intensified whenever he thought about her or saw her. The pain ached throughout his arm, an uncomfortable sensation that he couldn't make go away. Such a horrible feeling...

But, sooner or later, he would find a way to strike back. He just needed to gather up his courage again. He knew that was not going to be easy, especially with what Vice did, and what Sol was going to do to him. Pain was a great motivator as well as a terrifying demotivator. He just needed to remind himself of the consequences of ChalkZone being exposed. He needed to tell himself that there was a lot at stake if he didn't manage to warn anyone.

And perhaps, somehow, he could get back at these two for what they did. Maybe a good well deserved punch or two. Normally, he would not punch a female zoner. But in Vice's case, he would gladly make an exception. She certainly deserved one.

Snap soon saw where Vice was dragging him to. It was the same cage he had seen her use earlier with Sol, the one she had opened up and let him walk out. He didn't understand the purpose of that show. He knew it was fake when he found that Sol was willingly working with Vice. So Vice putting him in what looked like a kennel like he was some wild, unpredictable animal didn't make a lot of sense. The only way it did was that he had done that just so that he would be unnerved. Vice was good at making him feel apprehensive. It could have just been that.

Vice stood in front of the large cage now. She held onto his arm tightly, slightly twisting it. Snap winced a little from the mild pain. Snap could see right into the cage now. Not a bad size. Pretty large, a bit of room. It was in almost complete shadow, no intenal lights anywhere. He could see what appeared to be a large blanket on the ground. Not really folded, just kind of in a pile on the ground.

Snap watched as Vice pressed a button. The bars slowly opened up, granting access inside. Vice took a step forward. Snap, knowing what was about to happen, tried one more time to struggle. He tried to yank his right arm free of the unicorn's grasp. But she would not let go. She smirked down at him as she lifted him up by his arm and held him close to her. He whimpered as he watched her put her hand towards him again.

When she touched his face, he jerked his head back, growling softly. She just chuckled at this reponse, smiling down at him. "Your spirit is still strong. I am quite amazed by that. Perhaps I'll need to try harder to break you."

Snap's eyes widened at this. He shook his head in protest. "Why can't you leave me alone..?"

Vice smiled at him. "I will. Don't worry. I am just...relocating you." She smirked at Snap's confused expression. She turned her head back towards the cage. "You see, I realized that I have been an idiot in latting you just hang around during the times when you aren't strapped on that hospital table. And I need you alive, for now, to conitnue with my plans. So..."

She put her face close to his. Snap's eyes widened and he whimpered. He struggled ot get away from her. Many thoughts ran through his head. He wondered if she was going to kiss him again. He hoped now. That kiss really freaked him out. It nearly gave him a heart attack. It was so gentle and sweet..at least it would have been had it come from a friend, like Rapsheeba. But from Vice? It was horrific and conflicting.

He was relieved when she pulled him away. She held him up in the air for a few moments, just grinning at him. He could see the hint of insanity in her eyes. It was brief, but it was still there. Snap had to wonder what made her go insane, why she was like this. Why had she gone from being a helpful surgeon to a deranged maniac who uses her surgical skills to cause harm? There had to have been a reason... but he doubted he was going to get any straight answers from her.

Then, a moment later, he felt her pull him back, her arm muscles tightening. Then she threw him into the cage. He let out a scream as his body slammed into the ground head first. A headache split through his skill and he clutched it tightly. He let out a loud groan of pain. He reopened his eyes and glared in Vice's direction. The glare was brief. When Vice gave him that chilling smile, he faltered and his heart began to pound in its chest.

"I left you some food and water in there, sweetheart." Vice said. She motioned her hand over, indicating two bowls on the ground, similar to the ones used for pets. One had water in it and the other had some pieces of meat that didn't look like it was sitting out a little too long. "It's not much, I know. I'm sorry. I'll scrounch up some more food for you in the morning, dear."

Snap looked at the water and the meat. He felt disgusted for two reasons. First off, the water and food didn't look very good. He couldn't tell if they were tainted or not. But something told him he would get sick, or at least have the chance of getting sick, if he dared tried to use them. The water was a little grayish in color and murkey. And the meat looked dry and some areas were a little discolored. Yeah..there was no way he was going to consume those.

And the other reason he was disgusted... Vice was treating him like some animal, a pet or something. Putting the water and food it pet bowls? Seriously? She couldn't have the decency to use plates for him? Then again, why should he be surprised? She was legitimately insane. There was no 'listening to reason' for her. She just does what she pleases, which feeled him with a mixture of fear and anger.

"Th-There's no way I'm going to eat that..." Snap said. He first looked at the food bowl, and then at the water bowl. "And I'm not touching that water bowl." He stared over at Vice. "Y-You can just forget it. You...you probably tainted them..."

The glint came back briefly and Snap knew, as his heart skipped a beat, that he had guessed accurately. Something was wrong with the food and water she gave him, and she knew it fully well. He could see intent glowing in her eyes as she continued to stare at him. He shuddered, pulling the blanket close to him for warmth.

"Oh you are going to consume that stuff." Vice said, a twisted grin coming onto her face.

Snap shook his head. "N-No..I refuse..."

Vice chuckled at this. "Well then...perhaps I'll just do things myself." From the way she said that, Snap knew he was not going to like where this was going.

And he was right. He stifled a scream when Vice started to walk into the cage. Although the cage door was wide open, ready for him to rush through it, he found that he could not do it. She was blocking too much of the exit. And if he read in that direction, chances her, she would grab him before he could get away. All he could do was watch, in horror, as she drew closer to him, her hoof hand reaching out towards him.

Snap tried to get away from her, but he barely managed to turn around when her arm slung across his body and pulled him against her. He let out a scream and struggled as hard as he could. He pushed against her arm, kicking and yelling. He even attempted to bite her, but she did not respond to any of his attacks, much to his confusion. Her arm still pressed against him, she put herself onto the ground. She clutched Snap against her as she reached down and grabbed a piece of meat. She dangled it in front of his face like he was some pet dog.

"Honey, you need some strength to last for a few days. I can't have you dying on me." Vice said in a sweet sounding voice. She held the piece of meat closer to him. "So come on, eat, or I will do this the heard way.

She held the piece of meat closer. Snap glared at it and tightened his lips together. He turned his head away, looking at the meat in disgust. When Vice tried to put it in his face again, he just turned his head in the opposite direction. She then pushed it against his mouth, trying in vain to make him open up his mouth and eat it. Eventually she stopped and Snap thought that maybe she caught on that he was not gong to eat it. Maybe it got into her head that he was not going to eat what appeared to be tainted food.

But he was wrong.

She pulled out another needle. His eyes widened in horror when he saw it was filled up with something. He shook his head in protest and tried to get away from her. She held onto him tightly with one arm, able to secure him easily. She made sure to put pressure on his injured left arm, causing waves of pain to spread through his body and make him cease struggling as hard. Squeezing him harder, not caring how much she was hurting him, she jabbed the needle into his shoulder. Snap's eyes widened as he felt something cold being pushed into his body. Once the needle was empty, Vice yanked the needle out.

"There. This should relax you some." Vice said, tossing the needle aside.

It didn't take long for the stuff to take effect. Snap started to feel...really weird. His body felt a little tingly. His brain felt off. He was still aware of his surroundings, but he found it difficult to move quickly. He found his struggles against her had decreased dramatically, no matter how much he screamed at his limbs to move.

As the stuff's effects became stronger, his vision started to get a tad blurry. He didn't lose consciousness and his sight didn't go. Everything just littled a little off to him as he looked around. His mind was a little muggy, like he had just woken up. It was a sensation of wanting to go sleep, and yet not wanting to at the same time. Although he could still move his eyes, trying to get his eyes to close was a little difficult and took effort. And the rest of his body...he couldn't move that well. Reflexes like swallowing worked fine, but the act of just lifting up his hand, let alone his arm, took so much strength.

"Seems that this stuff works better than I thought. Don't worry, honey. It didn't paralyze you. It just inhibits your reaction time to a great degree, as well as...a few other things. But reflexes should still be good." Vice said, smirking at him. She adjusted him so she was cradling him gently in her arms. She brought over the piece of meat once more. "Now...eat this."

Vice forced his mouth open with her hoof. She took the piece of meat and shoved it into his mouth in a not so gentle way. Snap nearly gagged on it. Reflexes took effect and he started to cough as the meat clogged his throat a little. Then his swallow reflex activated and, much to his disgust, he ended up gulping down the piece of meat. It tasted so awful and he could feel it slither down his throat. His eyes widened as much as they could under the drug's effects as Vice took another piece of meat and, like before, shoved it into his throat, not caring if it choked him or not. His swallow reflex was triggered and he had no choice but to gulp down this piece of meat as well.

Vice didn't stop until she forcefed him all of the terrible tasting meat. Snap felt so helpless during this whole process. He wasn't tied down or chained anywhere. He should have been able to move and get out of the way. But thanks to the drug she put in him, he could not defend himself. And now he ate who knows what and he had no idea what it was going to do to him. Was he going to get sick? That was a likely possibility. Already he could feel some kind of uncomfortable feeling in his stomach.

But Vice wasn't done with him yet. She brought over the dirty water to him. She held his head up and pushed his mouth open again. She poured the water into his mouth. When she got all of it in there, she held his mouth shut and leaned his head back. Snap wanted to cough the water out of him. It tasted so bad. He could tell it was tainted. But unable to open his mouth or even resist very well while drugged, he ended up swallowing the filthy water. He started to cough on reflex as some of the water got into his lungs a bit.

Vice got up off the ground, picking Snap up with her. She held him in her arms and smiled down at him. "See? That wasn't so bad, now was it?" She moved towards the blanket on the ground. "Now you get some rest. It's late and I know you must be so tired."

Vice knelt down and placed Snap on the blanket. She kept him laying down with his stomach facing up. She wrapped him up in the blanket, doing a fairly good job at making sure he was covered. He looked up at her in fear as she leaned down and gave him another quick kiss on the forehead.

"Goodnight, dear sweet little child." Vice said in a kind voice, smiling at Snap. "I will see you tomorrow."

With that, Vice got out of the cage, locking it behind her, leaving a drugged and frightened Snap alone for the rest of the night.


	6. Day Two

Penny wasn't sure if it was a good idea. She wasn't sure if Snap was going to tell her anything. But she had to try. She and Rudy were still a little worried about him over his change of demeanor the other day. It wasn't like him to hold things in like that. The fact that he wasn't telling them what was wrong scared her, and she was certain it worried Rudy as well. What if something really bad had happened to their friend? What if this was something serious?

She had hoped that Snap would listen to reason. She had hoped that, today, he would have been cooled down enough to share with them what had happened. She was certain that something had gone on the other day before they arrived. That was the only reason she could think of that would explain his behavior. Especially towards her...

When he had called her 'doll' so rudely like that, it reminded her of the incident at the ball. Snap had called her that out of anger. He was peeved at her for calling him a comical sidekick. She did apologize, but the point was he had been miffed enough to call her that. And he admitted to being miffed now, but did not really elaborate on what had happened. Snap had to be really angry to call her something like that. But what was it? What could have happened?

She wanted to try to talk to him today during recess. Rudy was not able to come to school today. He had a mild cold and had to stay in bed. He had given her some magic chalk just in case she wanted to head into ChalkZone that day without him. Penny took him up on that offer and decided to try to speak to Snap during recess after everyone had left the classroom.

She and Rudy knew something was still bothering Snap. When she had visited Rudy briefly to wish him well, they had opened up a portal to talk to Snap. That's when they noticed something a little off about him.

He was standing in his usual spot. That didn't seem out of the ordinary. Snap often hung around the two areas where they usually draw portals and wait for them, especially if he was expecting their company. But when he's waiting for them, and he sees them, he'd usually smile and wave to them. He might ask them to come on in or he would try to reach the portal if possible and talk to them. But this time...it was different. And it kinda disturbed her and Rudy just how different, even if it were just subtle, Snap was acting lately.

The first thing was...Snap wasn't looking at them. He had his back turned. It looked like his arms were folded against his chest. He looked mad even before they had seen his face. They could see his foot tapping. They knew sometimes Snap got excited for their visits, but he usually didn't tap his foot like that waiting for them. And his overall aura..it seemed off. It was subtle, slight. But it was there.

And when he had turned around... His expression... It only lasted a second before he eerily shifted it into his usual smiling face. That big happy grin they were used to seeing. For a moment, Snap was frowning. It wasn't a particularly nasty glare or anything. But it was a tad harsher than what they were used to seeing from their blue friend. He had turned around when they called out his name, and he had looked at them with that glare for a second before he started to smile. And the smile itself...it was kinda fake almost. Penny wasn't sure how to put it. It just...didn't feel genuine.

Then came a worrying but strange part. When they told Snap about Rudy feeling sick, he..never asked him to get better. He did eventually, but only when it was pointed out to him that he didn't say that. Snap usually remembers things like that. It's common courtesy to ask people to feel well if they were sick. Snap forgetting something as simple as that was definitely alarming. It secured in the two kids' minds that something was wrong with Snap. And Penny was going to find out what it was.

But Penny wasn't sure if Snap was going to tell her what was wrong. He might adamantly refuse, like he had during their previous attempts to make him talk. If someone was hurting him or otherwise treating him badly, and he was miffed or upset about that, he should tell them. She and Rudy wanted him to feel better. But they can't do anything to help him unless he opened up. She had hoped that he would be more cooperative today.

But judging from his reaction today...that was not a possibility. At the moment, she was looking into his eyes. Narrowed in anger...Yeah something was definitely wrong. But he refused to say what it was. She had managed to get a hold of him as recess began. Mr. Wilter was gone, giving her time to speak to her blue friend. This time, he greeted her with his usual friendliness, but then his demeanor changed as soon as she asked him why he was peeved the other day.

When she did that, then he got a little angry again. She felt a little bad. Maybe she was triggering some sore memories. Maybe whoever had upset him hurt him deeply. She bit her lip. She wished she could figure out what happened. She and Rudy couldn't properly help him if he stayed secretive like this. Why wouldn't he open up and tell them what was going on? Why was he holding it all inside? Why, of all times, would he do this? He never did this before.

The way he kept saying that everything was all right...there was a tinge of defensiveness in his voice. That was when she knew he was lying. Something had happened to him. Something was wrong. And she was determined to find out what it was.

"Come on, Snap. Why don't you talk to me?" Penny asked. She looked down at her blue friend. He was sitting in the adjustable seat. He had cranked the lever so he was eye level with Penny. "It's not good to keep things bottled up inside. I know something is bothering you, Snap. Please, why don't you tell me?"

This wasn't the first time she said something like this to him. She had been trying, for the past several minutes, to reach him. But it had all been in vain. Nothing she said was going to convince him. And what she said currently had no effect either. He just glared at her and turned his head away. She looked back at the clock. She didn't have a lot of time left to speak to him. She tried again.

"Please speak to me. I'm your best friend. I'm here for you. Please, something is bothering you. I want to help you but..." Penny reached her hand out through the portal. She placed it gently on her friend's shoulder. He seemed to wince at her touch, like he wasn't expecting it. This made her look at him with more concern. "If someone is hurting you...why don't you let us know? We want to help you, Snap. Don't push us away."

Snap continued to glare at her. It was a little harsher than what he'd normally give her. She guessed it was because whatever was bothering him was serious, something that was eating away at him and he couldn't let go. It made her feel bad for him. And when he turned his head away from her, it made her feel even more worried for him. This might be more serious than she thought.

He looked down at her hand. She gently squeezed his shoulder, trying to comfort him. But he looked far from comforted. Rather than relax like he usually would, rather than tell her what was wrong with him like he normally did, he just...swatted her hand away, gritting his teeth a little.

Penny looked at him in shock. He had..he had never done that to her before...not like that. He had never hit her that hard before, angry or not. He continued to glare at her. She looked at him with a hurt expression. It wasn't like him to push her or Rudy away like that. It wasn't like him to act like this. All she was trying to do was help. Why did he insist on pushing them away like this? Why was he refusing to open up? What happened to him?

Snap did seem to realize that he went a little further than he expected he would. His glare faded away slowly. He looked at Penny with a genuinely saddened face. He looked at his hand and then over at her. He bit her lip and opened his mouth to speak. At first, he didn't say anything. It looked as if he was struggling to say something. He kept tumbling over his own words. She could hear a few mutters, a bit of some words, but not much else.

Finally, Snap had found his voice. He looked at her with that same saddened expression. "Look, Buckette, I'm...I'm sorry. I know I'm worrying you and Rudy. I don't mean to."

"We understand that you're upset, Snap." Penny said. She leaned a little further into the portal. "But you shouldn't hide it. Why don't you tell me what's wrong? I don't have a lot of time left. If you just tell me real quick, then I can..."

Snap shook his head. He waved his hand in front of her. "Don't worry so much about it, Penny." Snap looked around nervously. He rubbed the back of his head. Penny wondered if he was looking around for whoever was causing problems with him. "It's...not important. I can handle it."

Penny's eyes widened at this. Not important? Since when did Snap dismiss something he was upset about as 'not important' and leaving it at that? That wasn't like Snap. Even if it were minor, he'd still say something. Even just a simple sentence like 'This zoner just rubbed me the wrong way' or something like that. But with the way he was acting now... Something big must have happened.

She wanted to try to get more information out of him. She wanted to convince him that he can tell her anything. She wanted to be there for him. She wanted to help him through this. With the way he was acting, it was clear something was wrong. And he looked so worried... Oh no... was her and Rudy's suspicions that he was hurt...be the reason? Did someone or something...hurt him? Or threaten him? She felt her chest fill with anxiety at the thought of that.

"Snap, I..."

But it was too late for talk. It was too late for her to try to coax more information out of him. Because, now, the bell had run. The ringing echoed in her head. She flinched and she looked out the window. She couldn't see much from where she stood. But she could hear footsteps, and she saw the faintest hint of the tops of kids' heads. Recess was over, and soon the building was filled with the sound of footsteps.

She couldn't believe it. She had run out of time. She wouldn't be able to talk further with Snap. And just when they were starting to make some progress too... Now she had to say goodbye to him and try again later. She turned her head to Snap. She opened up her mouth to say goodbye, but as soon as she did, instead of her voice, she heard Mr. Wilter's.

"Ms. Sanchez! What are you doing in here?" Mr. Wilter said.

Penny turned around as fast as he could. Before Mr. Wilter could see the portal, she yanked down the map. Mr. Wilter raised an eyebrow at that, but thankfully he did not say anything on the matter. He stared down at her, his hands on his hips, waiting for an answer.

Penny searched her mind, frantically looking for an explanation. Mr. Wilter had not told Penny to stay during recess to do anything. She had never said anything about wanting to stay inside and work on anything. She could try to come up with a lie like that, but Mr. Wilter wasn't always so easily fooled. She had to come up with something clever, and fast.

"I'm waiting, Ms. Sanchez." Mr. Wilter tapped his foot. His glare never faltered. His gaze never turned away from her. "You weren't in here drawing cartoons, were you?"

She flinched at the way he said 'cartoons'. She shook her head swiftly. Mr. Wilter took a step forward. Penny felt like she was being boxed in.

Mr. Wilter said, "Okay, then tell me what you were doing..."

Penny looked up at the teacher nervously. She tried to speak, but at first, she just tripped over her own words. She stammered, speaking a bit of gibberish. Mr. Wilter looked at her, his expression now a little confused. She tried, searching through her mind, to come up with an explanation that Mr. Wilter would believe.

Then she thought of something. She hoped it would be good enough.

"Oh I...uh...I just wanted to stay behind and...clean the chalkboard..!" Penny said. She folded her hands behind her back and smiled as non-suspiciously as she could to Mr. Wilter. "See, it was a little dirty and..I wanted to something..nice for you?" She hoped this would be good enough to fool Mr. Wilter.

Mr. Wilter glared at her for a couple more seconds. Then his expression softened up. He didn't smile, but he looked pleased. Penny was relieved. This cover up story appeared to have worked.

"Well then... That was nice of you, Ms. Sanchez." Mr. Wilter looked around the board. Luckily for Penny, the chalkboard did look relatively clean enough for the teacher to buy it. "Pretty good work. Could be better." He then looked at the map. "Why did you pull the map down?"

She flinched at this. So he wasn't going to gloss over that detail like she had hoped. Now he wanted an explanation for why the map was pulled down. She tried to come up with a solution as quickly as she could.

"Oh I...I had it pulled it earlier to clean underneath. But since I'm done I...I pulled it back down." Penny said, smiling at Mr. Wilter.

Mr. Wilter nodded his head slowly. "Good job, Ms. Sanchez... Except I didn't have that map pulled down at the start of class."

Penny's eyes widened a little. "You...you didn't?" She looked over at the map. Now that she thought of it, she couldn't remember this being pulled down at all.

Mr. Wilter shook his head. "Pull it back up." Penny looked at him, her eyes wide. The teacher folded his arms against his chest. "How many times do I need to say it? Pull it back up Ms. Sanchez." He took another step towards her. "Now."

Penny knew she had no choice. If she didn't pull it up, Mr. Wilter would. And he would see ChalkZone... She had to make sure it didn't come to that. "O-Okay..." Penny said to Mr. Wilter. "I'll do that right now."

She could feel the teacher's eyes boring into her as she turned to the side and grabbed the map. She had only one shot at this. If she worked fast enough, it could work. She put one hand behind the map and pretended that she was trying to get a proper hold of the map. Mr. Wilter looked at her like she was nuts. She could just say she couldn't remember how to pull the map up properly or something. Looking a little stupid was better than letting another human discover ChalkZone.

She used her left hand to rub across the chalkboard. She could feel the chalk dust cling to her fingers. She kept moving her hand along, making sure that the portal was smeared enough that it looked like a mess, with no indication of a portal actually being there. She quickly wiped her arm on the side, grateful that the dust didn't leave too much of a mark. Then she pulled the map up and she could see what she was able to do.

There was still a large white smudge there from where the portal was open. But at least the portal had been closed. She let out a small sigh of relief. She looked over at Mr. Wilter. His eyes were a little wide as he stared at the large white smudge. Penny realized that she might have made a mistake. She said she cleaned the blackboad, yet here was this large white spot. How was she going to explain that?

"I see you missed a spot." Mr. Wilter said.

"Missed a..oh yeah, I did." Penny said. She was thankful that Mr. Wilter was able to come up with an excuse that she could use. "Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it." Mr. Wilter said, waving a dismissing hand. "Just get in your seat. Class is about to resume."

Penny returned to her seat. She felt her heart calm down. It was getting a little speed earlier as she thought ChalkZone was about to exposed to her teacher. She wiped her forehead, thankful that the secret was still safe. She was disappointed that she couldn't talk to Snap more about what was wrong with him. But she was hopeful that, next time, he would speak to her a little more. He did, at least in the last moment she was speaking to him, seemed a bit more willing to speak to her. She hoped that he would become more cooperative the next time she spoke to him.

She would have to wait until after school to speak to him more. She could create a portal at her place and head into ChalkZone to find him. She could speak to him, get him to confess what was wrong, and then go and tell Rudy. Maybe over the phone if need be. It would still be a little while. School was only about half way over.

Soon, the other students came walking back into the classroom. They were chattering to each other about different things. She paid little attention to what they said. She leaned back in her chair and stared up at the clock. She wished it would move faster.

Then Mr. Wilter stood in front of the classroom. He looked around to make sure everyone was present. Once he was satisfied, he moved to the chalkboard. He picked up a piece of chalk and pressed it agains the black surface to write. But then he paused. He froze there. Penny was confused. Why was he not moving? Why was he not writing? When she saw Mr. Wilter's head turn, she realized that he must have seen something...but what?

Oh no..she hoped he hadn't noticed anything strange. She hoped that he hadn't seen a bit of ChalkZone despite her best efforts to cover it up. She felt her heart start to race again. If that were the case...if she did miss something... there was nothing she could do about it. When Mr. Wilter looked in her direction, she lowered her head a little. Oh no, what was he going to say? She clenched her teeth, waiting for him to speak.

"Mr. White. I see you've come back from Greenland." Mr. Wilter said.

Penny's eyes widened in horror. She quickly looked behind her. She couldn't believe it... It was Snap.. What was he doing he? He should be in ChalkZone. Yet there he was, sitting here, smiling like it was no big deal.

Mr. Wilter continued, "I take it you came here for a visit?"

Snap nodded his head, putting his hands together. "Yeah. I enjoyed my first stay here so well I convinced my parents to let me come again."

"That is nice of them." Mr. Wilter said. "Regardless if you're visiting or not, you're still going to do today's assignment, got it?"

"Yes." Snap said.

With that, Mr. Wilter turned back towards the chalkboard. He lifted up his chalk again and began to write on the black surface. But Penny paid little attention to that. Instead, her eyes were still focused on her friend. Why was he here? Did he fall out of the portal or something? No...she didn't think so. She would have heard him, wouldn't she? It was like he climbed out and...

She shook the thought out of her head. No, he wouldn't do that. He would never do such a thing. He must have fallen out. As much as she didn't really believe that was the case, that was the only thing that was possible. Snap had to have fallen out. Now she had to keep an eye on him like she did the first time this happened, when he was flung out. She just hoped that Snap would behave himself and not start a fight with Reggie Bullnerd again. She doubted he was going to be tricked into punching the brick wall again.

"Ah, I see the blue kid from Greenland is back." Reggie said.

Penny put her hand on her forehead. Of course Reggie would try to start something. And while the teacher was talking at that. At least Mr. Wilter would stop this before it got out of hand. Or so she hoped.

Snap looked over, grinning in Reggie's direction, his eyes narrowed to match. "Yeah I am, pal. What of it?"

Reggie returned the same expression to Snap. He slammed his fist into his palm. There was a clear challenge made blatantly obvious by that. "Don't think I haven't forgotten how you humiliated me the last time you were here, White. After school today. You and me. Got it?"

To Penny's surprise, Snap's expression grew a tad sinister. And what he said didn't comfort her either.

"Yeah I got it, Bullnerd. I can't wait for round two. Maybe I can make you cry harder." Snap said, grinning. His voice had a strange tinge to it, something Penny could not identify.

Reggie's eyes widened at this. He looked like he wanted to say something in reply to that. But instead, probably intimidated by the look Snap was giving him, he looked away. Reggie's previously challenging look was replaced with one of confusion and a bit of nervousness. He wasn't outright terrified or anything. But Penny could tell he was a little unnerved by what Snap had said.

And so was she. This wasn't like Snap. She understood that he was just in a bad mood. But did he really have to take it out on Reggie? Sure, he instigates fights and all, but it wasn't like Reggie was the one who had been the one to upset him earlier. It couldn't have been. Snap was taking his anger and frustration on someone who hadn't done anything to him lately. This wasn't someting Snap would do. And if he was doing it, acting like it wasn't a problem, then something must be wrong with him. Just how deeply was he hurt?

Penny looked over her shoulder. "Snap, I don't know what you're problem is, but don't take it out on Reggie like that, okay? Wait until after school, and I'll talk to you some more. Then tell me what has been bothering you, before you decide to do something more drastic."

At this, Snap's eyes seemed to twinkle a little. She was confused by this. But she didn't say anything. She watched as Snap smiled at her. He leaned forward on his desk, or rather Rudy's desk, and stared intently at her. "Okay. Whatever you say...Penny."

sss

Snap laid curled in the middle of the cage. The blanket was wrapped tightly around him. He shivered partly from the cold. The blanket was thick, but the cold chills were still getting to him. Fear also contributed to his shaking. The fear and cold, it swirled around him, covering him up like some terrible, overhanging cloud, and it was not going to leave him.

On top of his fear and feelings of cold, he was not feeling like himself. He was feeling a little unwell. The food Vice gave him the other night did make him feel sick. He had a terrible stomach ache that raged with him all throughout the night. That combined with his arm pain made it nearly impossible for him to sleep. And when he did get some shut eye, he could only get about a half hour to an hour's worth of sleep at a time before he would wake up due to the pain. The nauseating feeling stayed with him for hours, making him feel like he wanted to throw up.

Although the drug's effects wore off before morning, and his stomach pains finally went away, Vice had soon returned. She had brought him more filthy water and some more food, this time a plate of what looked like moldly vegetables. It looked disgusting, but he did not want to be injected with that drug again. He had almost choked when she had been force feeding him. So he willingly ate and drank himself, although it was hard to stomach the stuff she wanted him to consume.

And now he was still feeling the effects of that. He was feeling sick again. His stomach churned and he fought back the urge to throw up. Vice had been feeding him rotten food. It wasn't tainted or poisoned, but it was expired and not meant to be consumed. So far, it wasn't doing anything worse than giving him belly aches. He hoped that was all they were going to do. If he got too sick, he was going to be even more vulnerable to these..these monsters... And a high fever was the last thing he needed when he was being...cut open like this.

He glanced down at his left arm. The pain had diminished a tad. It wasn't a whole lot, though. It did little to help him feel better. Sometimes he could still feel the dull aches even when he didn't move his arm. Sometimes, he can still feel that cold metal blade against his skin, slicing deep into his flesh, hitting against his bone. Just thinking about it caused him to have brief flashes to when he was strapped down onto the table. He let out a low whimper as he remembered the pain so clearly. Tears flowed down his face as he snuggled up against the blanket tighter.

It was day two. It was the second day he was stuck here, trapped with these lunatics. It had been about twenty four hours since his kidnapping. His head still ached a little from Vice striking him with..whatever she had used to knock him out with. He touched the area and winced at how sore it was. He hoped that she didn't crack his skull a little or anything.

He knew Sol was out fooling his friends again. He knew that today was the day that they were going to try doing something risky and have Sol appear in the real world. Snap trusted that his friends would be smart about it and find ways to cover up Sol's actions, and then drag him back into ChalkZone before he could convince anyone he was made of chalk. He had hopes that Rudy and Penny would be able to tell the Snip wasn't him. He hoped that they would recall that he would never do anything to deliberately expose himself like that and understand that they had been hanging around an imposter the whole time.

But that was wishful thinking. He would love for that to be the case. He would love that his friends would see through the Snip's disguise and realize it wasn't him. He hoped that they would find out the truth and come find him and get him out of this hell hole. But again, it was wishful thinking. Sol showed he could be pretty clever. He could come up with an excuse to explain away his actions. He'd be willing to come up with anything so long as it made him seem less suspicious to Rudy and Penny.

He was glad that, so far, his captors hadn't put that television in front of him again. He was glad that he didn't have watch his friends getting played for fools. He was glad he didn't have to experience that torment. But he didn't know how long that was going to last. Any time soon, they could decide to torture him mentally with that television. They could mentally torment him by forcing him, once again, to watch his friends getting fooled, just to listen to him cry out that it wasn't him in vain.

Snap was so worried about his friends. He knew Sol was going to get rid of Rudy and Penny. He knew that was part of the plan. Sol had mentioned it quite clearly. He and Vice wanted to get them out of the way. And they were going to do it while using his looks. It sickened Snap, angered him. He prayed that his friends would be okay. He prayed that Sol would not be able to succeed in his plans and that he ends up exposed before it was too late.

He felt so helpless. He wanted to warn his friends. He wanted to tell them they were in danger, that he was in danger. He wanted to tell them all of ChalkZone was in danger. But he was trapped here in this place. He couldn't warn them. They couldn't hear him, no matter how much he willed it, no matter how much he hoped they would. He started to cry a little harder, the torment of knowing everyone was in danger but being unable to do anything about it weighing in heavily onto him.

"Your friends are so easily fooled."

Snap raised his head up. He looked over, his body shaking, as he saw Sol standing there. He had his hand on the cage bars, leaning in a little. He was out of disguise, which brought some sense of relief to Snap. It was always unnerving seeing Sol look like him.

"Even after my little stunt.." Sol said, a smile across his face. "They still believe me. Isn't that a riot?"

Snap cringed back. "Th-They'll figure you out soon..."

Sol laughed coldly at this. "I don't think so. So far, they have been easy to mold. And if they get wise, well..." Sol made a slashing motion with his hand against his neck. "They've gotta go sooner or later."

Snap narrowed his eyes at this. "D-Don't you dare hurt them..."

"And what are you going to do about it?" Sol sneered. "You can't do anything while trapped in here."

Snap didn't bother to reply. What could he say? There was nothing he could say that would get through to this monster. He simply turned his head away, trying his best to ignore whatever he said after that. He tried to bury himself deep in his thoughts. He tried to focus on trying to find away out of here, or a way to warn his friends of what was going on. There had to be...something he could do. Anything...

He could try to sabotage the amulet. If Sol got close enough, he could try to do something to it that it faltered while he was out in public with it. That could work. But how could he sabotage it? Maybe crack it? It looked pretty strong, though. Snap felt an uncomfortable feeling rise in his chest as the one plan he thought of looked like it was not going to work. He might have to go back to the drawing board and come up with a new plan.

He heard the cage door swing open. He looked over and, to his horror, Sol had walked into the cage with him. Snap wanted to make a run for it. There was an opening. Sol wasn't as large as Vice. But he remained frozen on the ground, terrified. He began to whimper as Sol walked closer to him, smiling viciously down at the frightened zoner. Snap tried to hide himself further into the blanket, hoping that Sol would not try to hurt him.

He heard footsteps all around him. Sol was circling him now like a vulture. He could feel the Snip's eyes boring through him, watching his every move. Snap let out a few low whines, crying softly as he tried to hide underneath the dirty blanket. He didn't understand why Sol wanted to hurt him so badly. What had he ever done to him? What did he do to deserve such treatment? Why was he doing this? Why?

Then the pacing stopped. Snap could see, from the cover of the blanket, that Sol stopped right in front of him, down on his knees now. The Snip reached over and grabbed the blanket. He pulled it back, exposing Snap's head to him. Snap cringed back, his teeth clenched fearfully. The sight of this made Sol's smile broaden. His evil smile made Snap's blood run cold.

"Your friends aren't very smart, Snap. I've made a good number of mistakes...just to see how far I can go with them. And you know what? They didn't think anything of it." Sol said. He chuckled darkly as Snap's eyes widened in horror at what he said. "So I guess this means that, when it's decided that they must be done away with...they will think it really was you who did it."

Snap gasped at this. Then his eyes narrowed slowly. Toying with his friends' minds like that. How despicable...

Sol smirked at him. "I see you have some attitude returning. Well I'll take care of that soon." Sol leaned back a little, still down on his knees. "I can't wait to see the look on your friends' faces when they figure out you had tricked them. I want to see how they react to when they believe you truly betrayed them and were trying to kill them. I want to see their expressions. I am going to look at them straight in the eyes and smile as they are being sent to their deaths."

Snap started to growl softly at this. Fear still reigned in his mind. But now another emotion was coming into the fray. Anger. Rage. And it was building up inside of him as he listened to the Snip threaten his friends like that. His body started to shake harder.

"I want to make sure that the last thing they see of their friend before they die is how psychotic he had become..." Sol said, smiling evilly down at Snap, amused by his growling and threatening glare. "I want to see them cry. I want to see them plead for mercy." He leaned in a little closer to Snap. "I want to see them break..."

That was it. That was all Snap could take. Something inside of him snapped. He was still in great pain, mostly in his arm. He was still afraid of Sol. He knew what Sol was going to do if he did this, but he didn't care. Anger spread through his mind, filling him with rage. For a moment, his body shook with energy, his eyes widening as anger replaced the fear. Sol seemed to realize what was going to happen and started to move back.

But it was too late to get out of the way now. Snap had already reacted. Tensing up the muscles in his limbs, ignoring the pain in his arm as best as he could, he lunged towards the Snip. His body collided with him and he pushed Sol into the ground, onto his back.

Sol looked up at Snap in surprise. Before he could say anything, Snap pulled back his fist and punched him. His fist collided with Sol's face, forcing his head to be pushed to the side. Sol let out a cry of pain. Snap struck him again, this time slamming against his shoulder. This prompted another cry from him. Sol started to struggle against him. He stopped the third punch and started to push back against Snap. The two began to wrestle on the ground, rolling around across the cage a little.

A few times, Sol punched Snap. The blue boy winced in pain, but he hung on tightly still. He tried to shove Sol back into the ground. Sol then started to struggle to get free from him. He pushed and kicked against Snap, trying to make him let go. But Snap was relentless, refusing to release his grip on him. When Sol managed to get all but his leg free, Snap held onto the leg tightly and pulled him back into the ground. He jumped onto Sol's back and delivered a punch into his back, making the Snip let out another cry of pain.

Sol punched Snap in the jaws. Snap cried out in pain and staggered back a little. But he came right back and bit down on Sol's hand like he had earlier. Sol screamed in pain and pulled his hand back. He cradled it against his chest and looked at the bite marks. He glared hatefully at Snap. He delivered another punch in the jaws, using enough force to throw Snap onto his back. Sol immediately got on top of him and pinned him down. He gripped his throat tightly and pulled a fist back.

"I told you not to bite me again!" Sol snarled.

Rather than punch him in the face like Snap expected, Sol instead punched him in his left arm. Snap's eyes opened wide. Tears of pain flowed down his face. Unable to stifle any sound, Snap opened his mouth and let out a loud scream that echoed in the cage. His body stiffened, then started to quiver in agony. His previous courage faded away as the pain brought him back to when he was strapped to the hospital table. His growls faded into soft cries and he looked up at Sol in fear. The adrenaline that had helped him cope with the pain for a time was gone now.

Sol just glared down at him hatefully. "Don't look at me that way. You brought this on yourself.."

Sol got up from the ground. He brushed himself off. He made his way towards the cage entrance. Snap wanted to get up and run out. But Sol had punched him too hard in the arm. The pain...it was so bad he couldn't move to get up without experiencing a threshold of pain. He watched as Sol stood in the entrance, and paused there. He looked back, looking at Snap with a single, hate-filled eye.

"Just for that, when it's my turn to play with you.." Sol said. His voice was a tad darker and more menacing. "I am going to do more than just cut up your right arm." Snap's eyes widened in horror at that. Sol gave a twisted, evil smile. A glint of insanity was in his eyes. "And I'm going to do it all while looking exactly like you..."

Snap gasped in horror and cringed at this. Sol laughed coldly at him, then turned and walked away. He shut the cage door behind him. Fear welling up inside of him, Snap curled up on the ground and whimpered. While it felt good to finally do something more against that monster, he knew he just made things worse for himself...and possibly his friends, too.


	7. Unreasonable Agony

Sol had a feeling the first plan was not going to work. Just because it was, by comparison, the easiest, that didn't mean that it was going to pull through. He had done his best, though, and they still had other plans they could use instead. Granted, they were a tad trickier, but at least they were something.

He had snuck into the classroom after Penny was distracted by that teacher. Mr. Wilter was his name he thought? It provided him the distraction he needed to 'accidentally' appear in the real world. It had worked flawlessly. He had managed to slip into the classroom and sat down in the chair just as the other students were coming in. He was disappointed that none of them noticed his 2D powers, but then, they were small humans and they were probably not very bright.

Except that Penny girl. Despite what he said to Snap, he didn't think Penny was a complete idiot. He knew there was a reason that one guy, Skrawl was it, called her 'genius girl'. He was actually surprised she hadn't seen through his disguise yet, despite the close calls he had earlier. Either his acting was better than he thought or that Penny had her dumb moments as well.

He knew Rudy also was a pretty smart kid, and just like with Penny, he was genuinely surprised he didn't figure out he was an imposter yet. Well that was good news. It meant that he could continue on with this plan to help Vice expose ChalkZone to the real world. And he could eventually do away with those two when the time was right. Timing was crucial; those two could use the magic chalk. So they were needed alive until they could figure out a way to expose ChalkZone. Only until then could they get rid of the two kids.

He and Vice would have to be careful of how they do this. They needed the right plans to make it work. But despite how hard it would probably be, in the end it would all be worth it. He couldn't wait to see the oppressive zoners get what they deserve for their treatment of the Snips. He hadn't been around as long as most of them, and he had already seen enough. And he couldn't wait to get his revenge on Rudy and Snap. They were the ones at fault. They were the cause of his misery. So they, too, shall suffer.

His attempts to expose himself didn't work too well. Penny was there with him most of the time, which made it hard to 'accidentally' do anything that didn't seem suspicious. He had gave it a shot a few times, mostly using his 2D powers in hopes that a human would spot him. He had wanted to expose the portal. That would have been the best way to do it, especially with all those students there to bear witness. But that blasted Penny had erased the portal before that part of the plan could commense. He was quite angry with her, but he couldn't really do anything to her.

At least...until they had to go outside for recess. Then he got a little payback on her. When she got up from her seat, he had managed to trip her. He made it look like an accident, made it seem like he just wasn't paying attention and stepped out at the wrong time. It was satisfying seeing her fall into the ground like that. He would have done more to her, but for now, she still had to believe he was Snap. So, to keep up the facade, he apologized to her and helped her up to her feet.

Just as he thought, she still believed he was Snap and she didn't seem at all suspicious of the trip. She had chalked it up to a misstep, just like he had intended. Sol wasn't entirely pleased with his payback against her. But, for now, it would have to do. He could have fun with her later on, after it was no longer necessary that she believe he was Snap.

The girl's questions were getting on his nerve. He tried his best to stall for time. He didn't really have a plan for explaining his 'off' behavior to her or Rudy. He should have thought about this earlier. Snap was right; they would be able to tell their real friend from a fake one if enough 'offness' had occurred. In order to keep up this disguise, he needed to find explanations to tell them that would satisfy them. He needed to come up with something to get that girl to leave him alone. The last thing he and Vice needed was for their plan to be ruined because he couldn't come up with something to satisfy Rudy and Penny with.

Penny was very persistant that day. He was glad it was just her. With Rudy with her, it would have been a lot worse trying to dodge the question. Still, even with just Penny, it was hard. It took all his willpower not to punch her to get her to shut up and back off. Words couldn't describe how much he wanted to hurt her for how she kept asking him what was wrong with him. He was glad that the teacher came in and stopped her from asking more questions.

It gave him time to think about an answer. He still hadn't come up with one specifically. His thoughts did go to the bruise he got from when Snap managed to punch him. That might work. He could trick those kids into thinking he had been attacked. That would satisfy them as it would explain to them why his mood and demeanor had changed a little. The only problem is trying to think of someone to name should they ask who had done it. They were going to ask that, he knew it. But who should he name? Oh well, he'll come up with someone when the time had come for it.

For now, all he was doing was sitting around by the portal at Penny's place. He believed this was the right spot. He knew Snap met her here if he knew Rudy and Penny would use her chalkboard as a portal placement. It wouldn't be for a while before Penny would show up. He had plenty of time. But he had nothing better to do, and it wasn't time yet to torture Snap again. He would hang out with Penny for at least a little while, perhaps tell her about how he was attacked and such. His acting lessons would pay off then quite nicely. Maybe he could hold off on telling her who it was, just tell her he was attacked or something.

Toying with Snap's friends' emotions was fun, oh so satisfying. He looked forward to when they believe Snap betrayed them. He still wasn't sure which would be more fun; making them believe he was Snap until the moment they died or he left them to die, or revealing he was an imposter and, as they're being sentenced to die, inform them about what happened to their friend, gleefully mocking how they really wanted to help him, but instead they just let their friend rot in some forsaken place. Both would be equally satisfying. It would be hard to choose just one.

Perhaps he should reveal himself by the end... Yeah.. He just had a sick, twisted thought rush through his head, one that would only work as he intended if he exposed himself. He didn't have that much of a qualm with Penny. The only reason he really hated her was because of her connection to Rudy and Snap. But..he could use that connection to his advantage...

He knew full well that Vice had a way of letting Snap see through his eyes via that television screen. He would talk to her about setting that up again. It was difficult to do, but the results were satisfying. Having Snap squirm helplessly as his friends were being fooled was fun enough. But now he had something else in mind, something that Snap and Rudy would never forget in their final moments alive.

After he had both Rudy and Penny trapped with no way out, he would get Penny out of there, but make sure she can't escape. Breaking her leg would do nicely... And he'd proceed to play with her. Torturing her right in front of Rudy, keeping his eyes on her so Snap could see too, that would be the best way to break the two emotionally.

He had some thoughts of what he'd do to her. If allowed to bring some of the tools from Vice's drawer, he could cut her up, gouge out her eyes, break her other leg. Maybe he'd slowly disembowel her. An evil smile spread across his face as he thought about that. Sure, the blood would hurt him, but it would feel good to stick his hands in that girl and rip her apart in front of her friends. Then he would kill her by breaking her neck and toss her back into the trap with Rudy. He would have fun watching him cry, and then he'd leave to see how Snap was doing. He chuckled darkly. It would be most satisfying indeed.

His thoughts were interrupted when, speaking of which, Penny had opened up a portal. He wiped the nasty smile off his face. He didn't want to give himself away just yet. He did his best to smile at her at she came through the portal. She waved at him, though judging from her expression, she wanted to speak to him some more.

He watched as she approached him. As she did, he found himself eyeing her up and down, studying her limbs and body. He mentally noted to himself areas he could target when it was time. Such vulnerable areas.. So easy will the skin break apart when he uses the sharp knives on her. The bones would be easy to snap apart. Just one well aimed strike and that was it. Already he could imagine her crying and pleading for mercy. He felt his mouth tick a little in a small smile. Yes, it would be fun toying with her.

"Snap." Penny said as she got close enough to him. "I know you don't want to talk about it, but can you explain..." She paused for a moment. Her eyes widened. She clearly saw the bruise on his face. "Snap...what happened?"

Sol put his hand to his cheek and gently rubbed it. "Some creepazoid punched me. That's all."

Penny's eyes widened. "Oh..Snap.." Her voice was filled with concern. For the real Snap that is. Sol was amused that she used this tone towards him, unaware of who and what he really was. "Is...is this what's been bothering you? Has someone been...hurting you?"

Perfect. She was falling for it hook, line, and sinker. Now he just had to play it up, make her believe what he wanted her to.

"Y-Yeah..." Sol said, mustering up the saddest voice that he could. "It's...uh...been happening a couple times. I'm sorry I didn't tell you and Rudy about it. I just didn't want you guys to worry."

Penny did something that Sol did not expect. She rushed over and pulled him into a hug. His body stiffened up in surprise. He wanted to push her away, but he just froze there. If he pushed her away, he might look suspicious again. Although it felt awkward to do, considering what he was about to do to her later on, he hugged her back, which ensured that she would believe he was Snap. He didn't like displaying fake niceness like Vice did and he wondered how she managed to do it without breaking her facade.

As she hugged him, Sol couldn't help but feel her muscles flex as she continued to hold onto him. Muscles he would soon cut apart... Yeah, being this close to her, he could more easily pick specific non-lethal targets to torment her with before he did something more...fatal. Making sure she could not see, that no one else saw, a nasty smile spread across his face. Yes, this little girl was going to be fun to damage. And watching her friends' reactions will be the icing on the cake.

Penny pulled away. He turned his smile into a saddened face before she had time to notice. She looked him in the eyes and said, "Why don't you tell me what happened? Or would you feel better if we wait until Rudy got better?"

Having a bit of a delay would be a good idea. That would give him time to come up with a good enough cover up story.

Sol said, "I'd..feel better if you both hear it."

Penny smiled. "Okay then, Snap."

Sol chuckled to himself on the inside. If only this girl knew what happened to her precious friend... If only she knew what he had in store for her... If she were smart, she'd run away from him now. But of course, being fooled, she stayed close. Within striking distance of an enemy...

"So Buckette, what do you want to do?" Sol asked, putting on the best fake smile he could, mixed with with just enough sadness to make it believable. As the girl thought of a reply, he thought about Snap. He didn't know what he was going to do to him, but no matter. He had time, and when the moment came, he would have an idea of what to do to that little rodent.

sss

Snap couldn't believe he was here again. Strapped down to this wretched table once more, unable to move. His limbs secured in an X position. His and neck strapped down securely. He attempted to move, but the pain in his left arm made that hard to do. Shockwaves of pain went through his body and he let out small whimpers. His heart beat faster, knowing full well what was going to happen to him. At least...part of what was going to happen.

Vice had opened up the cage door to fetch him. He had growled in fear at her and cringed back, hoping that she would go away. She just grabbed him and picked him up easily. She was able to secure him well in the crook of her arm. He struggled to get free and had managed to bite her. But no matter how hard he clenched his jaws on her arm, she refused to let go of him. She carried him over to the table and pushed him into the cold surface forcefully.

He tried to struggle, but Sol had already arrived, still in disguise like he promised he would be in, and the two of them worked together to secure him to the table. Snap tried to get himself free, but ultimately he was helpless as his limbs were secured tightly to the table. His head and neck were fastened next, and finally the metal strap betwee his stomach and chest was in place. Just like before, he was completley immobilized and unable to fight back.

Snap didn't want this. He didn't want to be hurt again. Why do they want to hurt him so badly? Why? As Sol went to get the tools, he turned his eyes up at Vice. He looked at her pleadingly. He hoped that, somehow, she would listen to reason, if even for a moment, and stop this. It was not likely to happen, he knew. But he was so desperate to get away from the pain... His left arm hurt him badly enough. It would be unbearable when his right arm ended up in the same state...

Vice smiled sweetly down at him. She placed her hoof hand on his cheek and caressed it gently. "It's okay, sweetheart. It'll be over before you know it. Just relax."

Snap wanted to shake his head in protest. But his head was secured tightly and, like before, he was unable to really move his head that much. "No, please don't..." He begged her. "Don't hurt me again..."

"Oh sweet little thing, it's not me who will be doing that. It's going to be Sol." Vice said, rubbing his cheek. "But don't worry. It'll be over soon and you may go back to sleep."

Sleep? Did this monster really expect him to sleep when he was in so much pain? If that were the case, she really was insane. One doesn't just 'get used to pain'. He couldn't simply block it out and go to sleep. This pain was going to keep him up. It was going to deprive him of sleep. And with everything else that was going on, that was not going to help him in any shape or form.

Knowing that Vice was not going to listen to reason, just like he expected, he turned his gaze over towards Sol, who was approaching him with that tray of tools. His heart started to race. The sight of the tray made his blood freeze. His body started to tremble in fright. He wanted to beg, plead with him not to hurt him. But that look in his eyes, that evil smile, dementia shining from his eyes, he knew that it was going to be impossible to reason with him. Vice was easier to talk to than this guy, and that was saying something.

Snap watched as Sol, still looking just like him in a healthy state, costume and all, picked up the scalpel. It was the same one Vice used on him. The blade was still caked in blood. His blood. His eyes widened in horror as Sol turned and looked at him, his face contorted into a twisted grin. He shuddered as that cold laughter emitted from his mouth in a voice that sounded so much like this...

This was disturbing. This was sick. To torture him while pretty much looking like him in every way, sounding like him..it was so messed up. Snap's mind was racing already, the conflicting sensories messing with his head. And Sol hadn't yet spoken a word to him or even started to cut him up yet. He knew it was about to get a whole lot worse.

He could act like he was in more pain. And if he did that, maybe Sol wouldn't cut him up as much. But then, would that work with Vice around? Maybe if she left, then it might work. But she was staying with him during the torture scene. Probably to give him mock support something, or to oversea the procedure. She was not going anywhere and she wouldn't leave just because he asked her. With her being a former surgeon, she would know, probably just from looking, if Sol was doing maximum damage or not. She might pick up on his acting and tell Sol to cut deeper or longer.

And even if Vice wasn't there, when in pain, Snap would not be able to think clearly. He wasn't sure if he could put on a show effectively enough to trick Sol. He might end up sounding too fake and he would continue to cut him up horribly. Sol might not be as easily fooled as he would have hoped.

Sol stared at the scalpel for a second longer and then he turned his attention back to Snap. He moved over to his right side. He stared down at his right arm, licking his lips a little in anticipation, as if he was going to eat him. This made Snap whimper harder. He stared at Sol with pleading eyes, silently begging him not to do it. Sol put one hand on his arm, securing it down. Then he pressed the scalpel against the flesh. He pushed harder, slicing the blade deep into his arm. Hot blood poured out of the fresh wound and dripped all over the place.

Snap let out a scream of pain. Instinctively, he started to struggle. This caused his left arm to erupt in agony as well. With pain coming from both his arms, terrible agonizing pain, he cried harder. His mind was so confused, torn between struggling and remaining still to avoid hurting himself. The blade continued to cut into him, and then Sol started to cut down a little. Snap couldn't stifle the second scream he emitted, tears flowing down his cheeks.

Then, thankfully, Sol stopped. It was a brief moment, he knew. It wouldn't last long. But it was still a moment of some relief. Some of the pain melted away as the blade was pulled out of his arm. Sol stared at the blood stained instrument. He looked down at Snap. The sight of his tears and whimpering made him smile.

"I bet you're wondering why I'm doing this." Sol said, casually waving the scalpel in front of Snap so he could get a good look at his own blood. "After all, why would we want to hurt a nice zoner like you?"

Snap didn't like the way he said that. He cringed as far as he could go. He stared at Sol with frightened eyes. There was...something behind that voice as he said it. Contempt. Sarcasm. Anger. All rolled into one, creating a unified tone that dripped off his words like venom. It sent chills down his spine, intermixing with the pain radiating off both of his arms.

"Come on...I want to hear you ask me." Sol said. He moved a little closer to his head. He twirled the scalpel in his hand like it was just a pencil. "Why don't you ask me? Go on...Do it..."

Snap stared at him fearfully. He did want to know why he was doing this. Even if it was some dumb reason, he still wanted to know. He wanted to know what drove this zoner to do such a terrible thing. He wanted to know why he wanted him to be hurt so badly. He wanted to know why he took such pleasure in slicing him open.

Yet he could not get the words out. Something about the way he was looking at him, the way he said those words...it kept him frozen on the table. He didn't speak to Sol, not even to plead for mercy. He just whimpered and cried, staring at him with the same pleading expression, hoping, against the odds, that Sol would not hurt him. He wanted to speak. He wanted to reply so badly. Yet he was too frozen in fear and pain to say anything to him.

Sol did not take well to him not responding. He suddenly jabbed the scalpel into the flesh there his shoulder and neck connected, just below the metal band that secured it down. The blade narrowly messed his jugular vein. Snap let out a cry of pain. Sol kept pushing the knife into the skin, glaring hatefully at Snap.

"Ask me!" Sol snarled. "I know you want to, you little worm! Ask me why I'm hurting you!"

Snap cried harder, the pain sweeping through his body at a rapid pace. He took in short quick breaths, hyperventilation starting to take some effect. He struggled in response, but quickly stopped due to the pain. He whimpered as he stared up at Sol. He still did not reply, the pain making it hard for him to say anything. His eyes widened and he let out another scream as Sol twisted the scalpel, slicing up his flesh even more. Tears streamed down his face like a waterfall.

Sol growled threateningly, "Ask me, you little fucker!" He continued to twist the scalpel. "If you don't, I'll cut your jugular!"

This prompted a quick look from Vice. An angry one. Genuinely angry. Snap could see her lips curl up into a snarl. This only lasted for a second. For a brief moment, her nice facade as gone, showing a glimpse of the true violent person that was hiding underneath. It was clear that Vice did not take kindly to Sol threatening to kill him too soon.

But Snap paid little attention to that. He cried harder as the knife sliced deeply into him. The twisting of the blade felt horrible. He wanted to get away from the pain. He wanted to struggle and get free. He was not able to do anything, his body immobilized by the metal shackles pressing against his skin. As he looked into Sol's eyes, seeing the rage and anger behind them, he knew that if he didn't answer, he was going to stay true to his promise and do much worse to him.

Snap found his voice. Shakey, quiet, and painfulled, but nonetheless his voice. "Wh-Why..?" He said in a soft voice.

Sol slammed his fist against the new wound on his right hand. "Louder!"

Snap let out a scream. "Why?!"

A dark smile spread across the Snip's face. He moved back a little bit. He ran his hand along Snap's right arm, avoiding his injury there. As he caressed the arm, he leaned forward and looked at Snap in the eyes. He gave him the most sinister smile he could muster, enjoying the terror-filled expression that Snap gave in return.

"It's because of what you did to me..."

Snap looked at him in confusion. What he did to him? Snap never met this guy before. What could he have done to him? What was this guy talking about?

"Well not just me, but all of us Snips." Sol snarled at him, his eyes narrowing. "Because of you, and your human friend, we Snips are shipped off to some forsaken planet, cut off from the rest of ChalkZone. We're treated differently, and why? Because we're just 'copies' of you."

"B-But..." Snap tried to explain to Sol that he was blowing this out of porportion. He wanted to tell him that the Snips are not cut off from ChalkZone. But he never got another word in edgewise as Sol slapped him across the face. He looked up at him, whimpering softly.

"I'm not done talking!" Sol growled lowly, baring his teeth. Then his expression soon softened up a little. "A part of me admires you, Snap. You are the original. In a way you gave me life, as without you existing, some child would not have drawn me. But then..." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "..that is exactly why I hate you... Because of you, I was 'born' as a Snip. Because of you, I was taken by that ugly ship all the way to that terrible planet. Because of you, a whole race of people suffer while you, the original, you get to sit back on a chair at the beach and enjoy another beautiful day in ChalkZone!"

This guy was nuts. Snap knew this before, but this just confirmed it. He was an absolute nutjob. He was blaming him for something that wasn't even his fault. He didn't tell the children to create Snips. He didn't ask for any of this to happen. And it wasn't like the Snips were mistreated, at least not in the way this guy was apparently thinking. And if he could jump to such conclusions, no matter how illogical, it was clear he could not be reasoned with.

Now he knew why Sol hated him so much. But it was for a reason that...wasn't really a reason. It was just an excuse. This guy just wanted to give some reason to justify him hating him. He was trying to make himself sound righteous, like he was doing something for all the Snips. Snap doubted the Snips want any part in what he's doing, or even care about being 'liberated', as Sol probably would put it. They would think he was as nuts as he thought.

"And it's disgusting! Why should you be treated like a regular zoner while the rest of us Snips are constantly shipped off to that disgusting planet?!" Sol cried. His voice rose in volume, his face contorted further into a terrifying face filled with hatred. "And your human friend, Rudy... I'm going to get him... I'm going to make him pay for creating that blasted ship! Do you have any idea how hard it is to hide from that blasted thing? Huh?!" He put his face close to Snap's. "Do you?!"

Snap whimpered, clenching his teeth. Sol stared at him, those eyes narrowing. It was clear he was expecting an answer of some kind. Snap choked out, "N-No..."

Sol narrowed his eyes. Hatred radiated off his body. He moved down towards Snap's right arm. Snap looked in horror as Sol gripped his arm again. His eyes widened and he tried, in vain, to pull his arm away. Horrific pain spread through his arm as Sol stabbed the scalpel into his arm. He twisted it in there, increasing the damaging and magnifying the pain. Sol pulled the instrument out again, only to plungie it right back in as hard as he could. Snap screamed in agony. Blood flowed from his arm at a rapid pace. He cried and whimpered, trying so desperately to cope with the pain. His breathing quickened even more. Tears stung his face. But that did nothing to convince Sol to stop.

"Of course you don't!" Sol yelled at him. He stabbed Snap again, this time in his upper arm, near his shoulder. He pulled the knife out and again stabbed him, pushing the blade through the meat like it was nothing. He ignored Snap's cries of pain. "Because you're not a Snip! You're not one of us! You couldn't possibly understand what we go through!"

Snap wanted to speak. He wanted to protest. But every time he opened up his mouth, all he could do was scream. His mind was overwhelmed by pain. He found it hard to think of any kind of response. All he could think of now was trying to find a way to get away from the pain. He started to struggle harder. The pain increased. So did his panic. He continued to struggle, trying to pull one of his limbs free..any one of them...

"Figures that someone like you wouldn't understand!" Sol plunged the knife into him again. Snap screamed again. He sobbed and cried harder, looking at Sol pleadingly. "Don't look at me like that! You brought this on yourself!" With the scalpel in deeply, Sol pulled the knife upwards towards where his elbow was. He ripped it out as violently as he could, smiling evilly as the blood splattered onto him. A bit of blood landed on Snap's rapidly inflating and deflating chest. "This is what I call..retribution!"

Screaming loudly, Snap's struggles increased. He couldn't tell if he was making the pain worse at this point. All his mind was focused on was getting free. He kicked his legs, pulled his arms. The pain..it was horrible..so horrible... He didn't do anything to deserve this. All he wanted to do was go home... He sobbed, trying his best to block out at least some of the pain as he tried to struggle. There had to be a way out of here. There just had to.

Sol jabbed the scalpel into him again. He pushed in deeply. He cut upwards. Unlike Vice, who moved in a straight motion, Sol started to cut up and down like he was cutting something thick like a potato. Snap's eyes widened at this and he screamed again, his throat starting to hurt him, aching. He felt the knife go in and out, hacking away at his arm. His body trembled harder from the pain. His heart beat faster. His whimpers and whines increased in volume. Any attempt to speak was muffled as he cried in pain.

Sol then moved the scalpel out of his arm. He looked down at Snap's now damaged arm. There were two deep long cuts that Sol had made, plus many deep puncture marks. The arm was caked in blood, just like the knife. Sol smirked at this. He looked down at Snap.

"I believe I know what I decided to do to you." Sol said. "You know, it was hard to decide... You have so many vulnerable targets, Snap." Sol casually traced the blade across Snap's stomach, prompting a panicked cry from the zoner. Sol pulled the knife away and said, "I would do something major to you, like...cut your vocal cords or something..."

Snap managed to choke out, "No...please..."

Sol ignored him. He moved further down his side. He looked at his right leg. That smile, that eerie smile... No.. he couldn't be... Snap struggled harder, trying to get his leg away from the sharp scalpel.

"But I decided on something simple..but effective." Sol said. He looked Snap in the eyes and said, "I am going to cut your achilles tendon..."

Snap's eyes widened in horror at that. His heart speeding up more, his mind racing. No, he couldn't do that. As Snap felt Sol put one hand on his leg, as he felt the cold blade of the knife against his skin, he started to struggle as hard as he could. He let out cries of panic and fear. He let out unintelligable words, begging Sol not to hurt him again.

He felt Vice stroke the top of his head with her hand. She said softly, "Shh...calm down honey. It won't be that bad. Settle down..."

Snap did not listen to her. He started to bang his legs against the cuffs, hoping that, somehow, it would break free. Again and again, he strugggled frantically, letting out cries of fear and pain. He could feel the knife cut into him know, prompting a bloodcurdling scream from his throat. He kept shouting 'No', but it was hard to make out due to it intermixing with his screaming.

Sol started to cut into his leg deeply. Snap cried out in pain. He stared at Sol, looking at his smiling face as he hurt him, caused him so much pain. His mind was filled with agony and confusion. Sol looking like him during this whole thing...it scared him, tormented him. It was such a conflict, making his head hurt, putting a deep scar into his psyche. He struggled harder, screaming as the blade started to cut against his tendon.

Then, something happened that Snap did not expect. His captors sure didn't expect it either. Something must have been wrong with the metal cuff for his right leg. Snap didn't not expect his struggles to work. Maybe the cuff was pretty weak. Maybe Vice did not check it properly. Maybe it wasn't properly hooked in place. Maybe there was a loose bolt somewhere. But somehow, with his panicked struggling, the metal band had come undone, freeing his leg.

Snap wasted no time. In the moment his leg was free, he pulled it back, ignoring the pain caused by the knife slicing along his leg due to his movement, and, mustering up as much strength as he could, slammed his foot against Sol's face. The kick knocked Sol into the ground. Snap heard him hit the floor with a loud thud.

A soft chuckle came from Vice. "That looked like it had to hurt."

Sol got up from the ground. Snap could see blood on the Snip. And for once, it wasn't his own blood. The sudden fall caused Sol to slice his own hand with the scalpel by mistake. There was a cut along his palm. A little deep, enough to cause a lot of bleeding. Sol started at his hand, his eyes wide in shock. He stared at Snap, completely surprised that he was able to perform such a stunt.

Then anger spread through his face. He gritted his teeth. Snap whimpered in fear. He tried to kick Sol again, but by now, the Snip had gotten wise and gripped his leg tightly. In a fit of rage, he plunged the knife deep into Snap's foot. Snap screamed as the knife was pulled downwards, cutting the underside of his foot horrifically. Then, mustering up as much strength as he could, Sol slashed his achilles tendon, prompting a loud scream from him.

But Sol wasn't done with him. There was still that glow of intent in his eyes. Snap watched, terrified, as Sol walked up towards his head again. Vice took a step back and watched down, a smile on her face, as Sol grabbed the top of Snap's head to hold it in place, as if the metal cuffs didn't do that well enough for him. He pulled the scalpel back and pushed it deep into Snap's ear, rupturing his ear drum.

Snap let out a scream of agony that echoed off the walls of the room. The pain swirled around him, overtaking him. Then, unable to take the pain anymore, he passed out.


	8. Her Mind

Vice walked down the halls of the abandoned hospital she had claimed as her home. Despite being closed and no longer maintained on a professional level, she still managed to keep it somewhat clean. She mostly worried about keeping the operating room clean, the white nice and bright. She knew that was the room she would most be using and she'd rather not it smell like corpse and blood for too long.

She was heading down to another room she tried her best to keep clean. The supplies room. She had a bunch of stuff stored in here, hidden away from the days of her being a surgeon. She remembered those days well. But she tends not to linger on them. That was the past and this was the present. She had moved on since then, created a new life for herself. One that she quite enjoyed. It wasn't so...predictable. There was always someone new to 'play with', so to speak.

ChalkZone was ever changing. Always something new being erased. Always the humans creating things and putting them in ChalkZone, whether they know it or not. She knew of a time when creators were more common place in ChalkZone and how they had created a lot of havoc creating whatever they wanted to and letting their creations roam free. There was a lot of panicking, a lot of destruction, and finally something was done about it. Now the only humans allowed in ChalkZone were Rudy and Penny. Most zoners had forgotten about the days when creators ran amok in the place and most were friendly towards those two.

Vice knew why most creators were banned. Biclops was the one who put his foot down and made it so. He did not want another repeat of what happened in the past. He, and other zoners, even Rudy and Penny, had claimed that creators in ChalkZone would cause problems as they could do a lot to the place. A lot of destruction and chaos.

Yet...was it so...?

Vice was not so sure she entirely believed that. Time and again, she thought about it in her mind. She had thought about why creators were banned, and to her, it made no logical sense. Creators cause damage either way. A creator in ChalkZone is just as dangerous as a creator outside of ChalkZone. This was a belief she held for years. She felt that it didn't matter if a human was in ChalkZone or not. Their ability to create would still affect the place. Not much would really change.

So banning creators did little to help ChalkZone. In fact, in her eyes, it made things worse. Not being able to see the creators, there was no way to know if the next thing erased was going to be dangerous or not. At least when creators were allowed to roam free in ChalkZone, they could be kept an eye on and zoners would be able to see what they're drawing instead of having to wait until it was erased. Letting creators roam around in ChalkZone, far as she was concerned, wouldn't really do nearly as much damage as Rudy and the others would like to think.

She had presented her theory before to the other doctors. She had proposed an experiment to see how damaging it would be. It had been declined, much to her frustration. The other doctors had grown wary of her. To them, she was becoming more and more insane. Vice felt fine. But whether or not she was insane...that wasn't something she really concerned herself with. What she cared about was her experiment. She wanted, no..she needed a way to do this. And she believed she finally figured out a way.

Her goal was to expose ChalkZone to the real world to entice some creators to come on in. While exposing it with Sol's help would be nice, all she really had to do was get Rudy and Penny when a portal is left open, trap them or kill them, and then use that portal for her own use. Making contact with the real world was crucial for the experiment to start. It would begin as soon as she gets a group of humans to come into ChalkZone. She wanted to do a comparison. She already knew what ChalkZone was like when creators ran about doing whatever. All she needed now was something to compare it to, that something being what happens when she allows a group of random humans into ChalkZone.

If she finds that the destruction caused by the random humans is the same or not much different from the kids of long ago, then she had plans on showing that evidence to some zoners and find a way to lift the ban of blocking 'public' access to ChalkZone. If the results were too close to being the same, then what was the purpose of being a ban at all?

A creator can still destroy without being in ChalkZone. A kid drawing a vicious storm did not have to do it in this chalky world. He could do it from a chalkboard. If someone wanted to create something vicious that would destroy everything in sight, they could do it from the chalkboard.

Having a way to keep an eye on them might prove useful. She felt that creators could more easily be controlled if they were in ChalkZone. Seeing when and where they draw, they could be more easily stopped if things did get out of hand. But keeping them out of ChalkZone? That didn't help much; that did not alleviate the issue of destructive drawings, and it made things worse since they couldn't be seen; any place could suddenly have a storm rushing out of it or some giant vicious monster destroying the town. Vice sought to fix this by exposing ChalkZone to the real world.

Vice knows she sounds crazy, insane. And she doesn't really care. She had her reasons and her motivations. And that is what mattered in the end. She didn't care what others thought of her. She had left the doctors she once worked with, and went far away from the hospital she once associated with. She had come here in pursuit of her goal. She had spent some time trying to perfect her plans. For a time, she wasn't even sure how to expose ChalkZone, but that changed when Rudy had come into the picture. Then things got better when Penny came in. Two creators...two potentials... She was disappointed when she learned they want to keep ChalkZone a secret, but that did not mean she could not still use them in some way.

However, as she pursued this goal, she had noticed a change in her own psyche. She wasn't entirely sure what caused it, if it was something she used on herself once or not. But despite quitting being a surgeon, the activities..never really left her. She had once thought that she was a surgeon because she wanted to help people, at one time. But something happened to her. She didn't know what it was. But something happened, and all she remembered was that she...changed dramatically. If she had felt joy at helping people genuinely, that had diminished, replaced with...something different. Something chaotic.

She had always felt somewhat tingly whenever she operated on someone. That feeling had intensified and twisted. That tingly feeling started to spread through her body. And now, whenever she cut someone, even just a simple slash, she started to feel...well for a lack of a better term, high. She felt an excitement rush through her, a feel good sensation. And it intensified whenever she did more damage. The sight of blood, the feeling of slicing through flesh, it got her high, like she was on a drug or something.

Vice knew how twisted this was. She knew how wrong it was. There was always a part of her that was sickened by it. Yet the feel good sensation overrode her reasoning and her morals. Whatever happened to her that changed her, it skewed her ability to really care if she did wrong or not.

That was the reason why she hurt Snap so much. Unlike Sol who claims vengeance as his reasoning, Vice had no reason to hurt Snap other than to experience this high. She acknowledged it wasn't really fair, and she would not doubt it made her a monster. Yet, with her morals impacted by what happened to her, something she herself could not really remember, her conscience would never kick in. It had been subdued...

...well partially. Some of her conscience did live on. Not that it made much a difference, and in fact it made things worse. For Snap anyway. Her sweet nature, her fake kindness, all remnants of who she once was, what she used to be like. They're all lies now. Whenever she spoke nicely to him, she was faking it. She twisted her own words, words that she once had meant in true kindness, and now all they do is frighten her victims. And that is what her twisted mind had wanted. Being cut open when confused and frightened made her high feeling even more intense.

There was a small part of her, a pang that she sometimes felt, that wanted to be stopped. There was still a tiny part that hates what she had become. But, as she was now, there was no way she could stop herself, and no way she could call out to someone to stop her. Because most of her loved what she was doing. She loved that drug-like feeling she felt when she hurt others. She loved the sight of blood, their internal organs being ripped out. She had become a twisted monster with a bloodlust intermixed with insanity.

And, save for that one small part of her, the one small part of rationality, she loved it.

Her thoughts shifted to Sol for a bit. She had thoughts of experimenting on him, too. A part of her body shook in anticipation at times when he was around. It took whatever willpower she had left not to hurt him. She needed him for the experiment. He was required to trick Rudy and Penny, required to find a way to expose ChalkZone to the real world. The real Snap would not cooperate she knew. So she needed a double.

But she would have to be careful with him. She probably should not allow him to use the tools anymore. If she had killed Snap before the experiment could even get started, she would be set back. She was really angry with him when he threatened to kill Snap. All their plans would have gone down the drain because of it. For now, Snap must remain alive.

Just barely alive even...that works. As long as he had a heartbeat and blood, it didn't matter. Vice knows that the way she's treating him is horrible. She knows that he was going to grow weaker. But that is what she wanted. Keeping him weak makes it easier for her to 'work' on him whenever she pleased. It made it easier to take blood from him whenever Sol needed it. It was easier to transport him when he was weak. And, when she was through with him, it made it easier to kill him. The rotten food she force fed him was just one of the ways she was keeping him weak.

And now she was gathering more of the syrum she injected into him. One of her on concoctions she came up with when she first started torturing people to get high. She didn't mind screams, but she didn't relish in them. It was merely the sight of blood, the creation of wounds, tearing up the skin and the organs, that is what she loved, what she got high off of. And the syrum she created made it much easier for her to do that. By dramatically slowing and weakening the victim, preventing them from struggling much, she had an easier time doing what she wanted.

She used it on Snap to forcefeed him. That was not the only time she would use it. She had plans for him later on. Big plans. She hadn't decided just when to do it. Perhaps later tonight? Hmm..no. Sol already had his fun with him. Tomorrow? Maybe, or the day after. But it was something that gave her the ultimate high.

Surgery. While Snap was awake.

There was just something about her victims being awake during surgery that gave her that tingly feeling so much more strongly than if she just let them be unconscious. At some point, she really wanted to do this with Snap. She wouldn't take anything vital from him. Just one of his kidneys or a non-vital organ.

All she had to do was inject him with the syrum so he can hardly move and she could strap him down. He was already immobolized by the straps, but after what happened with Sol, she did not want to risk him breaking free. The syrum combined with the metal shackles guaranteed that she would not get an interruption while she worked on him.

She looked forward to cutting him open, seeing his insides, blood, flesh, organs, vessels... She could picture it now. She couldn't wait to get started. She would have started today, but no, she must wait. That was a pattern of hers; only let her victims be cut up once a day. Sol already took care of Snap today. So either tomorrow or the day after was when she'd start. And when she did, she would take her time. And she would make sure that Snap was awake the whole time. He would not be allowed to fall asleep.

Sick and twisted indeed... Yet she did not care. She looked forward to cutting in deeper into that blue zoner. She wanted to see what he looked like on the inside, even if it were just a glimpse. She had an obsession with anatomy. She would go for a vivisection, but...no. She'd save that for when they have no more use for him. She could kill him that way.

She soon gathered all the syrum she felt she was going to need. It would be more than enough to use on Snap whenever she needed to. And it would be enough to use on Sol whenever he was no longer required. Holding the stuff in her hoof hands, she made her way back down the halls towards the surgery room where Snap was being held.

It was getting close to time to feed him. As she got closer to the room, she couldn't help but give a small, evil smile. With those new injuries of his, he will offer little resistance.

sss

"What? Are you sure?" Vice asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.

Sol nodded his head. "Yes, I'm quite sure. He sniffed me out."

Vice growled lowly. Her ears were lowered against her head. Her teeth were bared. "They didn't see you, did they?"

"No." Sol shook his head. "They didn't. Me and the big guy were alone. No one heard us."

Vice's expression softened up a little. "Good. We can't afford exposure at this time."

Sol had recently come back from fooling Penny. They had spent the afternoon together in ChalkZone. He did whatever she wanted to do. He was afraid that if he tried to pick something, he'd go for something that Snap didn't normally do, thus blowing his cover. So he decided to let Penny decide on all the stuff. They didn't do too much and, at the moment, Sol didn't really care to remember. He was just glad it was over for today. He couldn't stand acting all nice to those two humans. He couldn't wait until it was time to get rid of them.

And right now, his mind was more focused on his near exposure today. Luckily Penny was a good distance away and there weren't too many zoners around in that particular spot. They were in the Candycane Forest. Penny had gone off ahead. Sol said he would wait right in his current spot. He was glad to have some distance from her. Being close like that for extended periods of time was making it hard to resist attacking her. Spending some time apart from her without looking suspicious was something he had to do just to resist the urge.

While Penny was gone, doing whatever she wanted...something with data gathering or whatever shit she does, Sol had a run in with another zoner. A large one, mostly grey in color and some ridiculous orange hair. It looked like a rat, but he'd never seen one like that before. The rat did not look happy to see him, or rather, Snap. He guessed that this guy was an enemy of some kind, someone from Snap's past that he was not aware of. It seemed that he was not the only one that wretched blue worm had wronged.

Sol had thought about insulting the giant rat, on the off chance that Snap does get out of his predicament, then the giant rat could finish the weakling off. Yeah, that would do nicely. Sol was determined to make sure Snap got what he deserved. Even if he somehow, by some miracle, survived his stay with him and Vice, this large rat, if enraged enough, might kill him for them. It wouldn't be too hard, either. He imagined this rat would be strong enough to break Snap's neck very easily.

But that plan was quickly cut short. Something unexpected had happened.

The rat had known that he wasn't Snap. This took him by complete surprise. It caused him to panic. He looked around to make sure Penny wasn't anywhere near them. He had insisted that he was Snap, but the rat refused to believe him. The rat had said that he wasn't Snap because he didn't smell like him. When Sol kept trying to say yeah he was, the rat had challenged him to prove it by asking him to say his name. Sol honestly did not know the rat's name, thus confirming for this large grey zoner that he, in fact, was not Snap.

From what he could gather from his short conversation with the zoner, he is an enemy of Rudy, Penny, but especially of Snap. It was clear that he didn't really care about Snap's well being. But he was interested to know what Sol was doing going around looking like Snap. He had pinned Sol on the ground and demanded some answers. He also wanted to know where Snap was, probably so that he could beat him up himself or something. The rat never said, but if he hated him, wanting to 'visit' him couldn't be any good news for Snap.

Sol had wanted to learn more about this zoner. But there wasn't time. He knew Penny would be back any second. If she caught him with this large rat, and if the large rat reveals that he wasn't Snap, he would be in big trouble. To buy some time, he told the rat that he would take him to Snap tomorrow night, but only if he did not say anything and left right at that second. Surprisingly, the rat agreed and left him alone just as Penny came back.

It was too close of a call. Had things just gone a little differently, Penny could have found out about him being a fake. And all because of that dumb rat. He knew he should have talked to Vice first before telling the rat he would lead him to where Snap was. He couldn't just back out on his word; the rat would say something to reveal himself just out of spite. And judging from how angry Vice was when he told her, he knew he should have thought this through more.

Now they had a problem on their hands. He didn't know much about this rat. He didn't know if he was trustworthy or not. They could use him for something, but that depended on how 'loyal' he might be. From the way he talked, he sounded a bit like a loon. Even his voice was strange, almost like two people talking at once. He wouldn't be surprised if he was the type of zoner who would go around prancing, shouting plan details and what not, especially if he was not told otherwise.

Sol knew he should have gotten to know the rat more, found out more information, and went from there. Now they were in a predicament and they had to find a way out of it, or else their plans would be ruined. And they only had until tomorrow night to think of what to do with him. There were some thoughts Sol had, but perhaps Vice could think of something even better.

So he decided to ask her about what should be done with the rat. After all, she was the one in charge of this whole plan. She was the one who called the shots. And as long as he got his revenge against Snap, he did not really care what the plan entailed too much. He was willing to go along with almost anything the black unicorn said.

"What should we do with him?" Sol asked, folding his arms. "Do you think he will be useful to our plans?"

Vice leaned against the wall of the hallway. She put her hoof hand to her chin, scratching it thoughtfully. She appeared lost in her mind for a little bit. Then her eyes brightened a little and she smirked down at Sol. He knew that smile. She had a plan, a devious one. He couldn't help but return that evil smile.

"I've got an idea..." Vice said, her smile broadening into a grin. "Just lead him here. I will take care of the rest..."

sss

Pain...

Agonizing pain...

That was what Snap was aware of as soon as he woke up. Even before memories came back to him, even before he was suddenly reminded of where he was, pain was the first thing to register in his head. So much pain, even as he laid completely still on the ground.

He was leaning against the wall of his cage. He did not put himself in this position. He had woken up like this. He was in so much pain, he could not move on his own. Every time he lifted up his arm or leg, he cried out in agony. His captors...they were the ones who set him up like this. He bet his captors wanted him to get a good look at his new wounds. Although he tried not to, Snap found himself looking down, looking at the injuries he recieved from his last torture session.

Just like before, these wounds were stitched shut, preventing further blood loss. But the stitch work was not great; just enough to keep the wounds closed. There were two jagged lines going down his arm from where Sol had sliced him, plus several smaller areas where he stabbed him, including on his neck and shoulder area. Pain shooting off from near his ankle and under his foot reminded him of when Sol had stabbed him in those areas. His achilles tendon was torn and he lost a lot of strength and mobility in that leg. Even if his foot wasn't stabbed, his right leg was useless to him now.

And there was still another new injury he got. His right ear was pounding in pain. Flashes of Sol stabbing him in the ear came flooding into his head. He wanted to cover his ear so badly, even just put his head on his shoulder. But the pain kept him from doing so. The pain made it hard for him to move at all, not without experiencing a threshold of agony. He could feel a wet stickiness on the side of his head. Blood that was still leaking out of his ears. It was the one wound that was not closed yet, maybe due to how deep into his head it was.

He knew he was deaf in that ear. Sol had stabbed him right in the ear drum. He could feel it burst as the uncleaned instrument sliced into it. He had little doubt that his captors would taunt him about this. He could imagine Sol definitely using it to his advantage. Maybe he'd even stab his other ear if Vice allowed him to...

Snap found it hard to think straight much of the time. Oh there were occassions where he could think pretty well. But the pain sweeping through his body made it hard to do that all the time. His thoughts would be almost erased as he suffered through another bout of agony, writhing a little, only to experience more pain. It was difficult to get away from the pain. Even the slightest movement of his arms sent shockwaves through his body. The pain in his ear spread through his head, giving him a horrific pounding headache.

He couldn't scream, not anymore. His throat was too coarse to scream. He was too weak to do so. All he could do was whimper and cry as he leaned against the wall, trying in vain to cope with the agony. There was no way he could sleep tonight. Not with the pain. Not with the fear.

Where was Rudy? Where was Penny? Why weren't they here? Snap knew it was because they hadn't yet figured out Sol was a fake. Yet with the pain screwing with his mind, it was hard for him to remind himself of that. A part of him began to tell him they didn't care. No, that wasn't true. Snap struggled to push that horrible thought in the back of his head. They did care. They did...

But then why couldn't he get rid of that thought? Why did it keep coming back? It was the pain... Yes the pain was messing with his head. It was making him fearful of everyone...everything. Anyone that had approached him lately had hurt him. And when he was alone, he got some solace. Yes, being alone was the key...It was the only way to get away from the pain. He was so desperate to get away...so desperate...

When he heard the cage door open, he shifted his eyes over. His heart began to race as he saw Vice walking inside. That sinister smile on her face... She was going to hurt him. He could sense it. His mind, swirling in pain, screamed at him to get away. He could not move. Oh he tried. How he tried... He attempted to shift his body, loud whimpers escaping his mouth as Vice drew closer to him, holding a needle in her hand...

He tried to speak in protest. He tried to tell her to go away. Any sound that came out of his mouth, though, was just a whine or squeak. He couldn't speak. The fear and the pain had robbed him of his voice in this moment. He tried to move a limb, anything, tried to crawl away. Yet, when Vice was kneeling down by him, all he had managed to do was move his head over a tad and tremble. He offered little resistance as she grabbed onto him and pulled him against herself.

Then came the shot. The same stuff as before. He felt his body grow weak, his mind a little muggy. Yet he was still aware. He knew what was going on, even though the hazy mist of his agony. Even more immobilized than before, Snap felt his body go limp in her arms. Yet despite him not being able to move, despite him being robbed of his normal reaction time, Vice was not so gentle with him.

Against the ground he was shoved. She gripped his arm tightly. If he could, he would have screamed in pain. The agony swept through his arm, getting worse as she tightened her grip. Then his mouth was forced open. By now, he was in so much pain, he was barely aware of the food being shoved in his mouth. He registered a foul taste, rotten food he was sure. He had a brief sensation of something cold, possibly dirty water, being poured into his mouth. But what he was aware of, most of the time, was agony. Blinding agony that made it hard for him to tell what his surroundings were, hard for him to think.

Then it was all over. He was left on the ground like that. He felt a sensation of something soft being put on him. The blanket. His eyes were closed tightly, trying to cope with the unbearable sensation from his wounds. He could feel Vice kiss him on the forehead again. This time, he did not react to it, his mind too focused on the agony.

"Don't worry, honey. Soon, it will be over. You will see." He heard Vice say. Then footsteps, and she was gone.

Snap couldn't stand the pain for much longer. The way Vice had treated him, shoving him into the ground like that, it caused all his injuries to erupt in agony, aggravating them. All that pain...all that agony...he couldn't take it... He cried harder, trying so hard to scream. And then he passed out, his world going dark.


	9. Bad Deal

Rudy was glad that he was feeling better. The cold he had the other day wasn't too bad, but it prevented him from going to school and from going into ChalkZone. He had wanted to speak to Snap more about what was going on with him. He and Penny had tried, in vain, to get him to talk more, but there hadn't been much progress with him.

It saddened and worried him. Snap was usually more talkative than this. He wouldn't hide things from his friends like this. If he was upset, he'd let them know it. For him to suddenly stop talking..it had to be something serious. And it disappointed him that he couldn't talk to him more today. At least Penny was well and she could go speak with him. He hoped that she would make some progress with him.

When he finally got to talk to Penny again earlier that day, he was happy to hear that Penny was able to get something out of their friend. It hadn't been easy and Snap was still being reluctant. When Penny detailed him swiping her hand away, Rudy felt a little angry with Snap. After all, Penny had just been trying to help. He didn't need to push her away like that.

He also wasn't happy when Penny mentioned that Snap just wandered into class and was acting so carelessly. Snap knows better than to just walk into the real world like that, and he knows how he should behave when in the real world to avoid suspicion. It didn't help that Snap deliberately started a fight with Reggie and that just wasn't like him. While he understands Snap is upset about something, he felt he should have controlled himself more. He could have made things a whole lot worse for himself.

His anger disappeared when Penny said she noticed a bruise on Snap's face. When she had asked about it, he said that someone had attacked him. He hadn't said who it was, but the fact that someone was hurting Snap made Rudy angry. And if he hadn't been telling them this...more had to have been done to him than just being punched. Whoever did this to him, they must have been threatening him and forcing him to stay quiet. That would of frustrated Snap and also make him afraid, thus accounting for his behavior towards them. He hadn't meant to be this way. He was just scared and confused.

Then things got worse. Penny mentioned that, when she was with Snap the other night, before she had to go back home, she had noticed a cut on Snap's hand. It didn't look too bad, but it was enough to unsettle the two children. Someone had sliced Snap's hand open. Suddenly, the situation had gotten worse. Whoever was hurting him...they had to be stopped. Snap didn't deserve getting hurt like that. Somehow, they had to figure out who was hurting him and take actions against that person. Rudy was not going to allow his best friend get hurt day by day like that.

Since he was feeling better today, he wanted to go into ChalkZone with Penny and talk to Snap about what was going on. Maybe, now that they know he was being hurt, he'd be more willing to talk to them. They were his best friends. Surely he would trust them enough to talk to them. It wasn't like he could lie anymore and say nothing was wrong. The bruise and the cut were proof that something was wrong.

Rudy narrowed his eyes. He tried to think of who hurt Snap. There were some bullies in ChalkZone that might have done something to him. There was Butch, that motorcycle creepazoid that ran over Snap during Penny's first visit. He might have done something to Snap. He wouldn't doubt it. He had no qualms about running him over with a motorcycle; Snap could have gotten hurt worse than he was. There was also Bullynerd, which he had drawn when he was eight years old, on the same day as he drew Snap. Because he was created as an archenemy for Snap, it would make sense that Bullynerd would be the one to hurt Snap. Rudy felt a pang of guilt as he thought about this. If he had known about ChalkZone, he would have handled Bullynerd differently.

A lightbulb popped up in his head. The thought of Bullynerd made him remember when Penny had said about Snap's behavior towards Reggie. He had seemed...more challenging to him. Maybe he was angry with Reggie because...because Bullynerd was the one who hurt him. It started to make sense now. That would explain why Snap was so willing to challenge him to a fight, why he had spoke to him the way he had. Bullynerd was the one who attacked Snap. Why that...that jerk... How dare he hurt Snap that way...

He would take care of things as soon as possible. Once he goes into ChalkZone, after the chat with Snap, he would make sure that Bullynerd doesn't hurt Snap again. He would have a word with him, or at least, try. Bullynerd didn't like him either, so getting him to do anything was going to be a problem. Still, he was not going to allow him to keep hurting his friend. He had to be stopped.

He hoped that, after Bullynerd was taken care of, that Snap would return to his original personality. It hurt him and Penny to see him a little more closed off than usual. Even though he acted like he was having fun, smiled and laughed, he couldn't help but sense a bit of fakeness in it. He wasn't able to pinpoint it before, but knowing what he does now, it all added up. He was trying so hard to be happy again. Poor Snap... Yeah, he would see to it that Bullynerd leaves him alone. He wasn't sure yet how he would stop him, but for Snap, he was willing to give it a try.

He heard knocking on the door, then the creak of it opening. He looked over and he saw Penny. He smiled at her and waved for her to come into the room with him. She shut the door behind her and walked up to him. Rudy got up from the window ledge to greet her.

"Hello, Penny." Rudy said.

"Hi, Rudy." Penny replied. She looked at him up and down. "You look better today."

Rudy nodded his head. "Yeah. I felt better when I woke up this morning. It was a pretty minor cold."

Penny nodded. She then looked over at the portal. Her smile faded, replaced with a look of concern. "I hope Snap will be willing to talk to us."

Rudy looked at her sympathetically. "I'm sure he will. He knows that he can't hide anything now. We know what's going on; all we has to do is tell us who did it and we can go from there."

"Yeah, you're right." Penny said. "Come on, we should talk to him soon. School starts soon."

He knew she was right. They didn't have a large window of time to talk to their friend before they had to go to school. He was confident that, since Snap understands that they know he's being hurt, he'd be more willing to cooperate. He believed that, before they went to school that day, they would have a name of who was hurting their friend. His bet was on Bullynerd, but there were others, such as Butch and Boorat, who, far as he knows, is no longer frozen like a statue.

He got out his magic chalk and opened up a portal on his chalkboard. He headed into ChalkZone, Penny following close behind. As usual, Snap was there waiting for them like he always did. They were surprised when they noticed he didn't look quite so happy. Rudy wondered if something else had happened to him, or if he was frightened that he was going to be attacked again. Poor Snap... He would be sure he stayed safe.

The two of them ran up to greet him. He didn't smile at them at first. It took him a few seconds to do so. He gave a small smile and waved quickly at them. Then he just kind of stood there, like he expected them to talk first. This was not like Snap. He would be talking right about now. It boiled Rudy's blood knowing that Snap was acting this way because of what some bully was doing to him.

"Hey Snap." Rudy said, being the first one to talk. He stopped about two feet away from Snap. "How are you feeling? Are you okay?"

Snap raised an eyebrow. "Sure, I'm fine. Why?"

Rudy looked over at Penny. Then he looked back towards Snap. "Well, Penny said that you were...being hurt. Is that true?"

At first, Snap looked confused. This perplexed Rudy. Why would he be confused about something that was happening to him? Snap certainly wasn't a very forgetful zoner. It wouldn't be like him to be absent-minded about his own body being hurt.

Snap did seem to remember a few seconds later, though. His eyes brightened a little in realization. He quickly nodded his head to Rudy, confirming what Penny had told him. Although Snap didn't say a word yet, which confused Rudy, he did notice the marks that Penny mentioned. The bruise on his face, the purple mark that he could see from over here. It was a little larger than he expected, though it could have been much worse. Then there was the cut on his hand, which he could see a little bit of from here. The sight of it made Rudy wince. Just how long it was, and the dark red scabbing... He was grateful that it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

Rudy and Penny knew they didn't have a lot of time. They knew that, if they wanted to get to the bottom of what was going on, they had to ask Snap now, and try to get him to answer, before it was time to head to school. Rudy didn't want to wait until recess to try again. No, Snap was going to tell him who attacked him, and he was going to do it now so he and Penny could help fix it.

"Snap, I know you are scared.." Rudy said. Snap looked over at him. "But we need you to tell us who hurt you."

"If you tell us, we can help you better." Penny said. She took a step towards Snap. "Please, tell us who attacked you."

Snap stared at them. He didn't attempt to answer at first. Rudy and Penny were worried that he wasn't going to answer at all. He just looked at them, his mouth pressed firmly shut. It must be hard for him to even speak the name of his attacker. Just how badly was he being hurt? Was there even more going on than they realize?

Seeing Snap not answer them was heartbreaking. He wouldn't be the kind of zoner to keep everything in. He let everyone know how he felt. To know that someone hurt him so much that he wouldn't even speak to them..it was an uncomfortable feeling. It told them that something really was wrong with their friend. It confirmed to them that something serious was going on. If only he would just answer them...they could do something to fix things. They could help him feel better. Why won't he talk to them?

To their relief, this time, Snap did not stay quiet or still for long. This time, he opened his mouth to reply, and, unlike before, it was not an attempt to cover up. It wasn't an attempt to say everything was fine. At least, he seemed to be more willing to cooperate.

"It was Boorat." Snap said in a low voice.

Rudy was surprised. Yeah he had suspected Boorat of possibly being the culprit. But he would have thought, for certain, it was Bullynerd as it best explained Snap's behavior towards Reggie. After all, Bullynerd was, more or less, a chalk minotaur version of Reggie. But Snap wasn't one to lie, and Rudy had been wrong about stuff before.

"Boorat?" Penny said, her eyes wide with surprise. "He's the one who hurt you?"

Snap nodded. He lowered his head, his face contorting a little in sadness. "Yeah... He's still angry at me. He's been 'teaching me a lesson' for days now." He took in a shaky breath. They thought they could see a hint of tears in his eyes. "I don't know why he insists on hurting me every day. But he..he won't leave me alone..." He looked up at the two children. "He said he would...k-kill you guys if I told you about what was going on."

Rudy and Penny were horrified by this. They knew Boorat was bad news. They knew how vicious he could be. But they had no idea that they would go that far. They didn't know that he was willing to go as far as to kill them just to teach Snap a lesson. Now, more than ever, Snap's behavior was making a lot of sense. He wasn't just scared for himself. He was scared for them. Their lives had been threatened by this orange-haired rat zoner. He was worried that, if he let it slip out what was going on, he would hurt them. Poor Snap... No wonder he had been so adament about not telling them what happened to him.

Penny went over to Snap and lowered herself a little. She put a hand on his shoulder and looked at him with sympathy. "Don't worry, Snap. He won't be able to get to you. We'll take care of him."

Rudy nodded. He came over and smiled down at his friend. "He won't hurt you again. We'll see to it."

Snap stared at them. He rubbed his eyes, probably wiping away his tears. Then he smiled gratefully at them. "Thanks. I...really appreciate it."

Rudy smiled back at him. He was happy that they finally got somewhere with Snap. He was glad that they figured out what had happened and now they could take care of it. All they had to do now was find Boorat during recess or whenever else they had time to head into ChalkZone. Rudy wasn't sure how he was going to stop Boorat from going after him. He would find a way though. For Snap, he would find a way.

sss

Snap was feeling horrible. He never thought he could feel this bad. He never thought that, someday, he would be laying on the ground like this, unable to really move much. He couldn't even close his eyes to get to sleep. He was tired as heck, but he just could not get to sleep.

How could he sleep? It was impossible, with the way he was right now. He was laying on his stomach, his head facing the cage door. His eyes were shut; he felt too weak to really open them right now. But his brain was not letting him drift off to sleep. His body, it was erupting in pain. So much pain...everywhere... His arms hurt so bad, feeling like they were on fire. His foot was tormenting him. His slashed ankle was causing problems. His neck hurt and his head hurt. It all hurt him, preventing him from sleeping.

His mind felt like it was being torn. It wanted to rest. It wanted to sleep. It was craving it; real sleep that is, not just being passed out from the pain. He wanted to curl up in his bed and head off into dreamland. But as he was right now, that was not going to happen. He..he couldn't even move save for his left leg, and who knows how long that would be. He could barely move his right leg due to the tendon being cut, and his arms were so badly sliced up that any movement sent shockwaves of pain through them.

In short, he was absolutely miserable. Pain radiating off his body from many locatiosn. It still felt like his ear was bleeding, even though the blood stopped flowing about two hours ago. He really wanted to move. He wanted to shift himself, stand up, do something. He wanted to try to stand up. But here he lay, motionless on the ground. There was nothing he could do about it. He was stuck like this.

He felt so weak. Even if the pain didn't stop him from moving, the weakness he felt in his body would. He wasn't being fed properly. The food that he ate...it was rotten. His body was not getting a lot of nutrients from it. He felt a lot of his strength leave him already, his body reacting like he were starving, which might as well have been the case. His body trembled not just from pain and fear, but from hunger. He wanted food...real food... And real water, too, not the tainted stuff that Vice had been forcing him to drink.

And the sickness... He knew it was going to happen sooner or later. He was not surprised, when he woke up, that he realized, eventually, that he was sick. It was only mild at first. A small headache, a slight chill indicating fever. There was also a nauseous feeling in his stomach. It didn't seem like much, but Snap knew better. This was just the beginning. If he kept being fed rotten food, if he kept being denied access to proper sustainence, he was going to get so much worse.

And he knew that is exactly what Vice wanted. She knew that she was feeding him rotten food. He knew, without a doubt, that she was doing it to keep him weak. She wanted him to lose strength so he could be easier to control. Even now, he was already so incapacitated, he could not fight back at all when she had come before to feed him. And for her to use the shot again despite him already being in too much pain to move...that was just cruel..just what he would have expected from her.

He wished Rudy and Penny would get here. There was still a part of him that told him they weren't coming, whether it be because they didn't care or they would never find out. The pain was still messing with him, but Snap was doing a better job now at controlling that fear, trying his best not to allow his pain to mess with him like that.

Still, he didn't know if he would be rescued by this point. It hadn't been terribly long. A couple days. But it felt like he had been here for much longer than that. And he had suffered so much during his stay here. He had lost strength. He was in constant agony. His body was being ripped up. He was getting sick. If his friends didn't realize what was going on, and quickly...he...he wasn't going to make it. It terrified him to think of that, but there was a chance that he wasn't going to make it out of this alive.

It wasn't just him he was worried about. His friends were in danger, too. Through the hazy mist created by the pain he felt, thoughts ran through his head of what could happen to his friends. He knew that Vice wanted to kill them after their use was served. He knew that Sol was probably going to be the one to do that. And there was nothing Snap could do to warn them. He hated feeling helpless. He hated knowing what was going to happen to his friends and not being able to do something about it...

He hoped that they would figure it out in time. He hoped that, by some miracle, they realize that Sol was an imposter and stop him and then, if it wasn't too late, come and find him. Though a part of him, a more cynical part, doubted that things would turn out this way, he did have hope that, somehow, his friends just might figure things out in time.

He heard the cage door open up. Unable to move, he couldn't lift up his head to see. He struggled to open his eyes. He finally managed it as he heard, with his working left ear, footsteps heading towards him. The slight clop to them told him it was Vice. And when he opened up his eyes at last, just halfway, he got the confirmation. She was making her way towards him. Slowly, deliberately. There was a smile on her face, one that clearly indicated she had something particularly nasty in mind.

Snap's body trembled in fear. He wanted to tell her to go away. He wanted to beg with her, plead with her, to leave him alone. But he was still in too much pain to speak. Oh how he tried...how he tried... He wanted to get away from her. The pain and weakness preveted him from moving. He was completely helpless, unable to get out of the way as Vice continued to come towards him, taking her time, deliberately drawing it out just to watch him squirm.

He whimpered and cried as she got closer. Why did he have to do this to him? Why did she have to hurt him so much? Hadn't she done enough damage to him? Hadn't she terrified him enough? What was the point of all this? What was the point of her attacking him like she was? He wished that she would leave him alone. He wished she would give him some solace, some break from the pain. But above all, he wished that she would just let him go already. He..he just just wanted to go home... He wanted to go home...

Soon, Vice was upon him. She smiled down at his trembling form, looking pleased with how scared he was. She knelt down beside him. She reached down and pressed her hoof hand against his chin. She pushed on it, forcing him to look up at her.

"Hello, sweetheart. Did you sleep well?" Vice said.

Snap wanted to growl at her and ask her how she could even ask such a questio. But he was too frightened of her to react with such defiance. When he opend up his mouth to try to say something, he could only let out a few small whimpers. He tried again and again to speak, and eventually, he managed a response. Small, meek, but a response nonetheless.

"..no..."

Vice feigned surprise. Her ears perked up and her eyes widened a little. "No? Well that's a shame. I thought you would have slept well tonight." Snap narrowed his eyes slightly at that obvious lie. "Well I came in here to let you know that I'm going to do things a little different today. I am going to put you on the operating table earlier because I have a special guest coming in later today."

Snap whimpered softly. He managed to shake his head 'no' in protest. His body shook harder as his head swirled with horrific images of his blood splattered everywhere. Why did she have to do this to him? Why...?

Vice chuckled. She reached down and lightly ran her hoof along his head and his back. She repeated this motion a few times, petting him like he were some kind of dog. The gesture made Snap feel very frightened. He knew that, at any moment, Vice could really hurt him. He was vulnerable, unable to move much. Until he could learn to manage the pain a little better, he was frozen. Fear was making this worse. He could feel his heart racing as Vice continued to pet him. He wanted to get away. Oh how he wanted to get way.

Vice's hand went back towards his face. He felt her touch his cheek and caress it gently. She lowered herself down, putting her face close to his. Her eyes stared into his. He shuddered at the sight of them. Normally he would consider eyes like hers beautiful. But on her, with the type of person she was, it was unsettling and frightening.

"Don't worry, honey. I'm not going to do much to you." Vice said. She traced a hoof finger across his lips as she spoke to him. "I'm just going to take Sol's suggestion. You see, I really liked one of the ideas he had to do to you. I am glad he did not do it. I wanted to try it myself. I never thought of cutting someone's vocal cords before."

At this, Snap managed to let out a low cry. He tried to struggle. Fighting against the pain, he managed to move a little bit, trying to get away from Vice. No..she was not going to do that to him. No...he had to get away from her somehow. Out of desperation, he bit down on her hand, prompting her to cry out. She pulled her hand away and glared down at him, her nice facade, for a brief second, gone.

He tried to get way from her. He tried to move. He tried to crawl. He kept freezing in agony, his body continuously shaking. He started to cry harder when he realized there was no way he was going to be able to get out of the way. He couldn't do anything to prevent Vice from grabbing his throat. She lifted him up. He felt himself being raised off the ground. The hand around his throat irritated the injury there, but Vice did not care. She held him up at eye level, staring into his eyes.

He couldn't look away. No matter how hard he tried, he could not tear his eyes away from her. Those eyes...staring into his soul, clearly intending to hurt him... He couldn't get away. He began to cry harder, looking at her pleadingly. He..he didn't want to be hurt again. He didn't want to be cut again. Why couldn't she just call it a day? And why his vocal cords? Why do something so..so drastic? If he couldn't talk...

"It seems I managed to break you already. You're already so scared and frightened. I told you I was going to break you." Vice said with a smile on her face. She ran her hand from his forehead to the back of his head a few times, gently rubbing it. "But alas, I am not done with you yet. There's still so much more... Oh so much more... But don't worry. I will keep you alive for a while. I still have need for you. After all, your...blood...is required for Sol's disguise to work, and I still want to have some more fun with you."

Managing to fight back the pain enough to make another reply, Snap said, "..no..please don't hurt me..." He winced at the pain as Vice tightened her grip on his neck. He let out soft cries and whimpers.

"Let us not waste anymore time, my dear sweet child." Vice said. She put her face close to Snap's again, pressing her hand with some force against his cheek. She stared intently into his eyes, her lips pulling up in an almost psychotic grin. "Let's get this over with."

Despite Snap's attempts to protest, despite his attempts to struggle, he was not able to get himself free. He dangled helplessly in Vice's grip as she carried him out of the cage and towards the operating table. He stared at the operating table in horror, his blood still staining it in multiple places. And soon, he was upon it, his body shaking heavily. He looked at Vice pleadingly, silently begging her not to do it. But he was ignored.

As he was being strapped onto the table, the tray of sharp instruments in clear sight, Snap's mind wandered to his friends. Through his pain, he managed to remember that they were his one chance at getting out of here. He prayed they would find him in time. As Sol raised up the scalpel, all Snap could do was shut his eyes tightly and try to cope with the horrific pain he was about to feel.

sss

Boorat wasn't sure what to make of this place. He wasn't sure what to make of anything that happened lately. He was confused, uncertain. He had no idea, yesterday when he went into the Candycane Forest, that something like this was going to happen.

He hadn't expected someone to be able to impersonate Snap so well like that. He had no idea it was possible to create disguises activated by the blood of the 'victim' so to speak. It was a pretty neat idea to him, but also unnerving. The idea of constantly taking another's blood to look like them... He wasn't sure if he could go through with it himself, even if the person he took blood from happened to be someone he hated, like Snap. There was just something so...offputting about the whole thing.

He was interested to know what this impersonator, who revealed his name was Sol, was going to do. And the fact that he wanted revenge on Snap...that made things better. Boorat wanted some part of it. He wanted a little payback against the blue zoner that ruined his plans to give the magic chalk to his creators. So he had spoken to Sol a second time and the Snip had agreed to take him to where his boss was...Vice he believed he had called her.

And when Sol, on the way to the place, told him about wanting to expose ChalkZone, that just made the whole thing better. Boorat's sole purpose of being created was to help his creators expose ChalkZone. He wanted to fulfill his destiny and he hated letting them down. He felt happy knowing that two other zoners were interested in doing the same thing, in a way. He hoped he would be able to negotiate with them, perhaps strike a deal with him. Maybe get a chance to punch Snap a few times as payback.

But as he was walking down the halls of the abandoned hospital, following the directions Sol had given him to locate the room Vice was currently using, Boorat was feeling a little unsettled with this whole place.

An abandoned hospital? What kind of sick person would use such a place? Boorat was not comfortable walking around here. There was something about these places that give him the creeps, whether or not they were in use. The hospital was so worn that many walls and floors looked grey or black. And many rooms were torn apart and broken. A few areas looked cared for, but that just made the place seem creepier to the giant rat. There was something unnerving about a few clean, cared for rooms and hallways in a building that was mostly falling apart. And the smells... There was all kinds of horrible smells intermixing with his nose, messing with his head. It was hard to pinpoint what any of the smells even were.

Still, he pressed on, moving down the hallways towards where Vice was waiting for him. He tried his best to ignore the smells plaguing his nose. He tried to keep his mind focused on the potential deal, and a chance at revenge against Snap. The little blue zoner was not going to get away with what he had done to him. He would see to that.

As he turned a corner, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He tensed up, letting out a surprised yell. He whipped his head around and saw a black unicorn standing there. He stared at her for a few seconds. For a little while, there was nothing but silence between the two.

Then Boorat, upon seeing the expression on the unicorn's face, realized who this had to be.

"Are you Vice?" Boorat asked, narrowing his eyes a little.

The unicorn nodded her head. "That would be me. You must be Boorat."

Boorat nodded. He leaned in a little closer to her and sniffed her. She was covered in all sorts of smells. He couldn't pinpoint any of them, except for something faint that may have been Snap. So this was Vice. She wasn't what he had expected, honestly. Although..he had no idea what he thought she was going to look like. He noted her graceful features intermixed with the gnarly, twisted horn and the grotesque scarring on her muzzle. He briedly wondered what had happened to her, but pushed the thought aside.

Vice raised up her hoof hand and gestured for him to follow. Eager to get started with the deal making and negotations, Boorat followed close behind. He couldn't help but feel excited by the whole thing. Yeah, the hospital creeped him out, but those feelings were washed away as he thought of the potential the alliance could bring. He finally found some zoners who may be willing to be his allies to expose ChalkZone. And best of all, they had Snap in their custody, so the blue nuisance couldn't stop him this time around.

Boorat continued to follow Vice through the abandoned hospital. He took note of the damaged areas. Chipping in the walls. A few drippy places. Even a few vines throwing. This place really needed some cleaning up. He wondered why Vice didn't try doing something. If she was going to use this place regularly, why not spruce it up a bit? He also took notice of some dark stains on the walls, dirt probably, a few cobwebs form really worn out places, and some flickering lights in dimly light areas.

Soon they came to a room at the end of a long hallway. The door was open and the light was on. Vice stopped by the door way. She turned to him and smiled. She motioned with her hoof, gesturing for him to walk into the room. Boorat walked over towards her. Before he walked in, he stopped in front of Vice and looked around the room.

The room was black in color. Black floors and black walls. Unusual coloration for a hospital. Then again, it seemed to fit Vice so wall. And it still looked clean. There was a shininess that showed that it was recently cleaned, like Vice was preparing the room for something. Well in this case, she was. She was preparing to meet with him and she wanted to make a good impression. That is what Boorat felt it was anyway; he could be wrong.

He took note of a small table in the middle of the room with what looked like leather straps. It seemed odd and out of place. This is probably where they tortured Snap. He didn't see or smell any blood, but maybe she just cleaned it up so it wouldn't be a distraction. There were also multiple shelfs in the room and a computer desk in the corner. Overall, it seemed a little plain.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Vice said, her voice slightly irritated. "Go on in. We don't have all day for this."

Boorat took a few steps forward, heading into the room. He stopped, standing in the doorway. He looked all around, trying to find any sign of Snap. So far, he couldn't find him, not even a scent. Not wanting to irritate Vice more and ruin the potential deal, he continued to walk into the room. He gave her a backwards glance, staring at her with his red eyes.

"Where's Snap? Isn't this the room where you guys are keeping him?" Boorat asked as he walked further into the room.

"No it isn't." Vice said. She slowly walked through the door way and paused about an inch in front of the door. Boorat looked at her, confused. She chuckled softly. "I didn't want to do this in front of him. You see, I don't like having my...talks...in a room that still smells like blood. It's..distracting, to say the least."

Boorat stared at her for a moment. Well he supposed that made sense. He wasn't sure how well he could concentrate on speaking to her if he was constantly smelling blood. If they had been hurting Snap as much as they said, then there must be a lot of blood smells in there, and whatever else there was. So yeah, he understood why she wanted to meet with him in this room.

He turned his back to her and moved further into the room. He studied it a little more, taking note of the unique black coloration, the way it was shining with the few lights that kept it lit. He looked down at the table, wondering what it could have been used for. Then he turned his attention towards the computer. He wondered if this really was an office, or if it was something else entirely. He had never known an office to have a table like this. Then again, maybe it was a tutorial room.

That idea seemed to be likely when he noticed some papers on the wall he had noticed before. Some diagrams of anatomy. Basic stuff, considering how diverse zoners were. Blood, muscle, bone, all sorts of stuff. Yeah, he imagined that this room was used for interns. Students who were just starting out. The basic fake skeletons in the corner also seemed to support this theory. He wondered if Vice had been a medical teacher once and just quit for some reason. He didn't blame her. He hated the idea of having to keep an eye on a bunch of wild and crazy students. He'd spend half the day trying not to punch any of them out of frustration.

Well he took enough time looking around. It was time to get serious. It was time he and Vice sat down and discussed what they were going to do. He wanted to know more about her plan and what she had in mind. And he wanted to see if there was anything he could do to help. He truly felt he could be a benefit to her.

Before he could turn around to talk to her, he suddenly felt something in his shoulder. Something sharp and cold. His eyes widened in surprise. What had just happened? He barely had time to register before his legs started to grow weak. He tried to stay standing. He tried to fight back against the effects of..whatever was injected into him, but soon he had slumped on the floor.

He managed to turn his head enough to see Vice shutting and locking the door. Confusion swept over his head. What was she doing? Why was she locking the door? Why had she injected him with that stuff? Just..what was going on here?

Vice turned towards him. A smile spread across her face as she walked up to him. She stood in front of him, her arms folded behind her back. The way she was looking at him...he felt unnerved by it. He could feel his heart start to speed up a little just from the sight of her expression. There was something shining in those eyes. Something he did not like. And he knew, whatever she had planned for him, he was not going to like it.

"What...what are you doing...?" Boorat asked. His head was getting a little muggy and his vision blurred slightly. It took so much effort just to speak. "How...how are we going to...make a deal...if I'm...like this...?"

A chuckle emitted from Vice's throat. Boorat flinched weakly at how cold it sounded. If it were given towards Snap, it would be amusing. But Snap was not in this room. It was just him and Vice. And unless Vice had an imaginary friend, there was only one person she could be laughing so coldly at. And that was him.

"You are such a fool, Boorat. I never planned on negotiating with you." Vice said as she walked around him, circling him like a hawk. "You see, based on what I was able to find out about you, well...you aren't very subtle, and it's not like you were in the real world long enough to learn anything of value. Adding you on my team would have made things worse. I was not about to let my plans get ruined because you don't know how to shut your mouth."

Boorat stared at her, trying his best to move his head to follow her movements. From the tone of her voice, he knew he was not going to like where this was going.

"Though I bet you wonder why I called you here anyway. Well it's simple really. You already know about Sol and his disguise. You could have went on blabbing about it everyone unless we made a deal with you." Vice said. She continued to circle the downed rat. "True, maybe you wouldn't do that. But why take the chance? It's just not worth the risk. So, here you are. You really should have known better than to trust strangers, Boorat."

Boorat growled softly. He attempted to strike at Vice with one of his hands. But so much strength had left him already. He was unable to lift his arm off the ground. He realized she was right. He had little knowledge about Sol and Vice. He should have thought things through more. He should have learned more about them before he decided to try to talk to them. And now he just landed himself in big trouble.

It was not like how it was with Snap. The worst Snap did to him was freeze him. Yeah it was inconvenient, but at least Snap didn't hurt him. But from the way Vice was looking at him, the way she was circling him, he had a feeling that she was going to do something much worse to him that Snap ever did. He had truly bitten off more than he could chew.

Vice knelt down and, showing a surprising display of strength, lifted him off the ground. He tried to struggle against her, growling as menacingly as he could. But there was nothing stopping her from carrying him over to the table and laying him down on his back. She went to work securing his limbs against the table. The straps were thick and strong. Even if he weren't drugged, he wouldn't be able to break free.

"What are...you going to do...to me...?" Boorat asked, glaring hatefully at the unicorn, showing off his teeth. "You..will...regret doing this...I swear it!"

Vice did not look fazed. "Well you see, Boorat, there is something I have wanted to do for some time..ever since I captured Snap. But do to circumstances..I cannot do it. However, luckily I have you." Her smile darkened. "Yes...you will do nicely..."

Boorat watched as Vice walked over and pulled over a tray filled with tools. Some scalpels but some larger tools as well, including something that looked to be useful for cutting open bone. The sight of the tray caused color to leave Boorat's face, his angry expression fading away to a look of shere horror. He turned his eyes up towards her, his body starting to shake.

"I have an addiction to blood and organs and, well, anatomy in general." Vice said. "I love it. Cutting into my victims, seeing what they look like on the inside... And you know what my favorite thing to do is?" She gave Boorat a psychotic smile. "Vivisection..." Her smile broadened as Boorat's eyes widened even more. "And since I can't do it on Snap...not yet... You can help me in this way. I will get my satisfaction, my drug high if you will...from you..."

"No..let me go..." Boorat tried to protest, but Vice slipped a muzzle over him, sealing his mouth shut and silencing him. All he could do now was mumble and whimper as he saw her raise up the scalpel. He watched, in horror, as it was lowered towards his chest.

"This is going to be fantastic." Vice said, smiling evilly.

Boorat was unable to scream as he felt the shere agony of the scalpel cutting into his chest, blood pouring rapidly from the fresh wound.


	10. Unexpected Threat

Waking up...

It was something that Snap had come to dread. Everytime he passed out, and he woke up, he was in worse pain than before. This happened nearly every single time that he had been knocked out. He would wake up, and be overwhelmed by pain. And that pain would intensify each time. And this time was no different. It was just like all the others.

He tried to cope with the pain. He tried to manage it. He tried to push it in the back of his mind, tried to focus on other things. But it was impossible. No one could cope with this much pain. No one. Even someone as tough as, say, Butch, would break at this point. He wouldn't wish this kind of fate even on his most hated enemies, like Skrawl. No one deserved to feel this much agony. He couldn't name one person whom he wanted to see suffer like this.

He couldn't even say Sol or Vice, despite how much of monsters they were. He wanted them to pay for what they've done to him, what they did to anyone else. He wanted to make sure they don't hurt his friends. But he didn't want them to suffer the way he did. Would that make him any better? No. To him, it would make him the monster as well. He couldn't feel satisfaction if he saw them suffer through what he did. He couldn't do that. It would make him feel sick to his stomach. More so than what he was already feeling.

His stomach twisted and turned as he tried to cope with the sickness that had swept through his body fast. His fever had spiked a little, and he shivered harder. The blanket was over him, but, being unable to move, he couldn't wrap himself up in it very well. His body trembled as he tried to cope with the terrible fever. The stomach ache and headache had gotten worse, and he felt like he was going to throw up. He managed to fight back the urge, afraid that Vice might hurt him if he didn't hold it in. His body fought against him, trying to force out the tainted food, but he did not relent.

The pain never left him. Even laying still, he was in great agony. He let out a few soft groans of pain. He shut his eyes as a few particularly painful waves of agony swept through him like a tidal wave. Whimpering and crying, he could do nothing to alleviate the pain. There was no position he could lay in that did not aggravate an injury. His arms were cut, the side of his neck was cut, his leg was cut, his foot was cut, his ear was cut...

...and now his throat was cut. Vice had done exactly what she said she was going to do. She had cut his vocal cords. With him strapped down and too weak to move, Snap could do little else but cry as she cut open his throat carefully, searching out his vocal cords and cutting them. The pain was so intense he ended up passing out before she was finished. And when he woke up, he felt the full force of the procedure. He couldn't even swallow anymore without feeling intense pain. He didn't want to know what it would be like when he would be forced to eat and drink again.

He was not able to speak anymore. He had tried, but nothing would come out. And trying to talk would hurt so bad. Vice did nothing to stitch up the vocal cords. She did close his neck cut, but that was it. Even groaning and moaning hurt him. He tried to avoid that the best he could. But with so much pain plaguing him, it was hard not to make some kind of noise. He knew it was going to be impossible and he knew, with dread in his heart, he was going to constantly irritate his wounds, and he would be kept in complete pain and agony.

Sol had paid him a brief visit. The doppelganger looked amused at how much pain Snap was in. Of course he would be. He was a complete monster..him and Vice. So it didn't surprise Snap that Sol was pleased with what was done to him. He did look disappointed that he didn't get a chance to cut his cords, but he didn't dwell on it. Snap wanted to say something, anything. Yet any time he tried, he could only manage to feel pain and let out soft cries, much to Sol's demented delight.

Sol told him about how he wondered what his friends were going to think of they did manage to find him. He taunted Snap on how horrified they'd be to see Snap in such a pitiful shape. And he went on to say that it would actually be worse than that because they won't get to see him. Sol was going to head out soon to trick his friends some more and he wanted Snap to watch it, so he asked Sol to set up the video in front of Snap and force him to watch. Snap's heart raced as he said that. He wanted to protest, knowing how much mental torment that would put him through, but he could not speak or move.

He was glad when Sol finally left him be. Being alone was the only time he had some peace of mind here, even if it was just faint and hardly noticeable. Any time Sol or Vice were in the room, all he could feel was fear. He could always feel his heart beating faster, adrenaline pumping through his body, twisting and hurting his chest and stomach. And when they weren't around, yeah he was still afraid, but it wasn't as bad. It kind of felt good to be alone here, even if he preferred to have some friendly company.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard someone talking. It was a little hard to hear it when he had only one working ear. He wanted to move his head, but was too weak to do so. All he could do was try to concentrate on the voices, trying not to make a sound as his body was wracked in pain.

"You did what?!" It was Sol. He sounded shocked by something. He could hear footsteps. They were getting closer. "But why would you do that? I thought we..."

Then a clopping sound. Vice was coming. Snap couldn't see her yet, but he knew she was there. He could hear her chuckle. "He was going to be too much of a problem. I had to get rid of him."

"But...he could have been useful... And he hates those three brats! I don't see why..." Sol said.

"It's too late to change my mind." Vice said, a dark chuckle escaping her throat. "The deed is done. He won't be able to reveal our plans now. Whether it be accidental or not."

Sol let out a troubled sigh. Snap never heard him sound that way before, at least not genuinely. "I still don't see why you had to go and do that. I mean, I told Rudy and Penny that I...er..well, Snap, had been threatened by Boorat. And if he's not around..."

Snap's eyes widened a little at that name. Sol had used Boorat in one of his lies, probably to explain his injuries and odd behavior, he bet. And it sounded like, at least Sol, thought he would have made an excellent addition to the team. Snap would have thought the same thing as Sol; given that Boorat also wants to expose ChalkZone, why hadn't Vice taken him in and assign him a job or something? There was little reason for Boorat to expose their plans to anyone.

Well granted, the guy did go around blabbing his plans, at least when he first met him. But he was certain that Boorat would have learned to cool it and be more subtle next time. The rat wasn't that stupid. Had Vice just asked him to be quiet, he would have done so. She didn't have to...wait...just what had she done to Boorat? Snap's thoughts filled with dread. What did Vice do to Boorat that had even Sol was so shocked and shaken up by it?

Snap could see shadows forming on the ground. They were walking towards his cage. His heart raced as they got closer. He attempted to cringe back, wincing in pain. But the shadows were small... They weren't coming towards his cage; they were walking well in front of it. And now he could see them. It was a little hard to see them correctly through the bars, but he knew it was them. They were standing several feet away from his cage, Vice staring down at Sol with her arms folded. He couldn't tell if she looked amused or annoyed. And Sol...Sol just looked confused and...disturbed? What...what did she do?

Vice shrugged her shoulders. "He is not necessary for our plan. And I did have my fun win him." Snap's eyes widened in horror at this. "The muzzle I used worked nicely. Kept him mostly quiet during the whole thing. He went out with a whimper, not a scream."

Snap's body trembled at this. Did Vice just..confess to killing a zoner who only wanted to work with her? Why...why would she do that? Boorat wouldn't have hindered her plans. Not that he wanted Boorat to help, but it just make any sense to him. Why would she kill him if he just wanted to help?

Vice turned her head slightly. Her odd-colored eye stared at him. He let out a soft whimper, prompting her to smile. She looked back at Sol and said, "I have a smaller muzzle I can use on Snap for the same procedure. It won't be for a little while, though. He's not going to wake up from it, so I should wait until I have no more use for him."

Sol looked at her, perplexed. "The little runt can't even talk. What would be the point in muzzling him?"

"Complete and utter silence." Vice replied, grinning darkly. "I like making my victims feel as helpless as possible, and since he's already badly injured, muzzling him when it's not necessary would do the trick I think. Besides, vivisection is particularly painful..." Snap took in a sharp gasp. "I think that, even in his weakened state, he'd be able to deliver some screams. So...best to muzzle him and keep that from happening."

Vivisection...? Is that...is that what she had done to Boorat? Is that what she was going to do to him? The realization send cold ice shooting through his veins. No...she couldn't do that to him. He had to find a way to protect himself. That was...that was a wretched thing to do to someone. Boorat didn't deserve such a terrible fate.

Being cut open, chest split apart and organs taken out, all while awake and a live... That was downright cruel. If it had been dissection, he would still have been disturbed, but at least Boorat would have been dead already for it. But a vivisection...that was so much worse. Dissection, but the victim was awake and alive during the process. He couldn't imagine how Boorat must have felt as his chest was painfully ripped open and his organs torn out one by one or whatever Vice had done to him.

And that was going to be his fate. Vice planned on doing the same thing to him. He could feel a sharp pain in his chest as he imagined himself being cut open like that. He could already mentally feel the saw cutting his sternum, his ribs being pushed apart and exposing his heart and lungs. He let out a few soft whimpers as the thoughts wouldn't leave his head. He knew she had planned to kill him, but he never realized that...it would be that painful...

Sol stared at Vice, his eyes a little wide. He must still be surprised by what Vice had done to Boorat. And judging from his expression, definitely shaken up, clearly not expecting such a fate to befall what could have been a potential ally. He glanced at Snap for a second. For once, not a hate-filled one, but one filled, instead, with confusion. Then he looked back at Vice.

"I can see doing it to him, but.." Sol said. "...I still don't get why you had to do it to Boorat. He wouldn't have blabbed anything. He would have..."

"Shut it." Vice's voice came cold and hard. She gave a chilling glare to Sol. It was intense enough that the normally cold-hearted Snip took a step back. "I am the boss here. I call all the shots. You listen to me. And let me tell you one thing." Vice took a step forward, pointing her hoof hand towards the smaller zoner. "And let me tell you something, little one. The only reason I let you join my plan was because I believed you would be useful, combined with using Snap's blood, I could disguise you as Snap and you could try to help expose ChalkZone."

"I am doing that..." Sol started to say.

Vice interrupted him. "But...! But so far you have made little progress. You spend most of the time having fun with them than actually doing anything! If I remember right, you've only attempted once to expose ChalkZone! The rest seems to be devoted to...whatever it is you're doing with them!"

Sol was starting to look uncomfortable. This surprised Snap. He never thought he would see the cold-hearted zoner be the one to react this way. Sol opened his mouth to try to speak.

Vice cut off Sol before he could say anything. "I want to get this plan in motion as soon as possible! I hope for your sake you can still be of some use to me. If I find that you are becoming more of a hinderance than an asset to my plan..." She took a step forward, her voice darkening as she spoke again. "..I will take you out..."

At this, Sol gasped and took a step back away from her, his body shaking. Snap had never seen Sol look this frightened before. And it wasn't acting. This was real fear. As much as Snap hated the guy, he did feel some level of empathy for him. The guy was just threatened by Vice, who was pretty darn scary and violent, even if she hid most of it behind a nice facade. And seeing her like this, without her fake niceness, it was terrifying.

"...wh..what...?" Sol said, his voice small.

"You heard me... Either you shape up and make another attempt at exposing ChalkZone, or I will kill you. I'll find my own way to continue with my plans without you if need be." Vice growled at him, exposing her teeth. Sol moved back. She reached forward and grabbed him by his unusually long cape. She held him in the air and stared at him in the eyes. "And don't try to worm your way out of this. If you try to run off, even back to that blue planet you escaped from, I will hunt you down and kill you. No one will be allowed to stop me from achieving my plans..." She put her face close to his. "Not even former allies...Do you understand?"

Sol looked at her with fear-filled eyes. He gulped and nodded his head quickly.

"Good.." Vice said. Her smile came back. Psychotic...dark...twisted.. She dropped Sol to the ground and took a step back away from him to give him room. Not taking her eyes off of him, she said, "Now get going. And make an attempt this time! Remember, I'm setting up the video for Snap and I'll be watching too! I'll know if you don't make an attempt!"

Sol nodded his head, staring at Vice wide-eyed. "Okay... I'll get going now." His voice was small and shaken, so unlike the Sol Snap had had gotten to know the past couple days. "And I'll make another attempt this time. I..I promise..."

"You'd better." Vice snarled at him. "Or I'll cut out your tongue."

At this, Sol visibly paled. He shuddered in fear and backed away from Vice. "I...I understand..." With that, the shaken up Snip turned and moved away from Vice. Seconds later, Snap heard his feet pounding the floor rapidly, and he knew, as the door was slammed, that Sol had bolted away from Vice out of shere terror.

Vice turned her head. Snap was disturbed to see her fakely sweet smile. How she manages to completely change her attitude so swiftly..it was unsettling. "Sorry you had to see that, dear. Business can be tricky, you know."

Snap wasn't sure what to make of what happened. On the one hand, he hated Sol. And it was nice to see him being the one terrified. It was nice, for a change, that Sol was the one being threatened and not him. But at the same time, he couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Vice was one scary zoner, and what Vice threatened to do to him...well that was certainly gruesome and nothing Snap would wish upon Sol, no matter how much he hated him.

Snap was beginning to realize which of the two was the bigger monster. It was hard to tell at first, with both of them doing particularly nasty things. But at the end of the day, he'd have to go with Vice. She seemed the more psychotic and unstable of the two. She had murdered a potential ally and she had threatened to do the same to Sol, all because he wasn't 'living up to her expectations'. Sol was crazy himself, sure, but compared to Vice, he was a tad more stable.

"I am going to get that television set up now." Vice said, the previous anger she used against Sol gone now. "And don't worry if you can't see it that well. I'll be holding you so you can watch."

Snap's eyes widened. Vice chuckled at this and she walked away. Snap's body started to shake. To be held by that...that monster... He didn't want it.. He didn't want to be anywhere near her. It was going to hurt him. He knew she was going to hurt him, even if she were gentle, which he doubted she would be. And to see his friends getting tricked again...with Vice commenting on the whole thing...

Oh how he wanted to run. How he wanted to flee and get out of here. He wanted to scream at her, tell her to go away and get out of there. But he could not. He had been rendered completely helpless. The most he could do was bite her, and that wasn't going to get him far. He had no way out of here. And she would come to pick him up, no matter how frightened he was, he would have no choice but to let her do it. Being unable to move without pain and from lack of strength, it was impossible for him to do much else except submit to her.

He hoped that, somehow, his friends would find out the truth soon. Rudy...Penny... They had to figure out Sol was a fake soon. They had to see through his disguise before it was too late. Time was running out, not just for him, but for all of ChalkZone. As he heard Vice returning, he silently begged for Rudy and Penny to figure out what's going on and to come save him. He wanted to go home... He wanted to be with his friends... He wanted to feel safe again.

It didn't take long for Vice to set up the television. She hooked the wires up and pushed the television out on a desk with wheels. She placed it outside of the cage, several feet away. She pulled up a chair, tall and kinda round in shape with a hole in the back for her long unicorn tail. The television flickered a bit and soon Snap could see images being projected. What Sol was seeing. And then the sound came in.

After Vice set it up, she went over to the cage. She unlocked it and opened it up. Snap protested by letting out low whimpers and managing a few growls. Vice knew it was just all bark and no bite. She approached his trembling form and knelt down. She grabbed him under his arms and lifted him up with little effort. In desperation, Snap bared his teeth at her like he were a feral animal and, gathering as much strength as he could, bit her arm.

She winced a bit at the pain, but she did not let go. Snap's strength ran out and he released her arm. He continued to emit low growls intermixed with whimpers. Vice paid no attention and she continued to hold him as she took him over to the chair. She sat down on it, leaning back and crossing one leg over the other. Snap tried to struggle, but he only ended up causing himself pain and he let out a few low cries, trying to get away from the pain.

Vice adjusted Snap so that his back laid against her. She crossed her arms against his body, holding him against her. The pain shot through his body as she pushed against his injuries. He couldn't tell if she did this by mistake, or if it was on purpose to keep him from moving. If it were the second, it was working well. Snap had to be careful not to move or else he'd feel a lot more pain. He was unable to stop himself from trembling in fear, and he stifled a cry as Vice rested her chin on the top of his head. It scared him more knowing that there was nothing he could do to get out of this dark embrace.

"This is going to be fun, isn't it, sweetheart?" Vice said in a gentle voice. Snap's growling did not faze her, likely because she knew he couldn't bite her as he was now. "Almost like a drive-in..wouldn't you say?"

Snap didn't answer. He couldn't answer. His growls slowly faded away completely into whimpering. He cried from both pain and fear as he was forced to sit against Vice, forced to watch the wretched video as Sol went on to not only trick his friends again, but to try to expose ChalkZone. He hoped that his attempt would fail. He hoped that Sol would make a mistake and Rudy and Penny would realize he was a fake. He hoped that Sol and Vice would never get to the stage in the plan to kill Rudy and Penny.

He...he didn't want to lose them.


	11. Second Attempt

As Sol walked across ChalkZone, heading in the direction where Rudy and Penny would usually meet Snap at this time, he couldn't help but feel a little shaken up. He had not expected Vice to turn vicious on him like that. He hadn't expected her to outright threaten him in that way. And now she was watching him, seeing things through his eyes with that...whatever thing she uses for this. Before, it was pretty neat she could do it, especially to torment Snap. But right now it was unsettling, knowing that if he didn't try something to day, Vice would know about it.

If she hadn't set up the video and decided to watch it with Snap, he might have gotten away with it. He could have just lied to her and say he did try, but he kept failing. But he had blown that chance. He had already reported what he did the past couple days and she was right. Far as he could remember, he did only try once. Had he lied earlier and say he did try but just failed, Vice might have been more satisfied. She wasn't watching through his eyes at the time, so how would she know?

The comment she made about him 'having fun with Rudy and Penny' did make him want to curl up his lips in a snarl. He didn't consider what he was doing with them right now fun. He was only pretending to have fun with them so they would believe he was Snap. Truth be told, he'd rather get out of this situation and not associate himself with the things that those two brats consider fun. He did look forward to when he could finally be rid of them, but that would take some more time, still. The plan was in motion, but the pieces hadn't fallen into the fray yet.

Sol admitted to himself, yeah he was procrastinating. He should have been more vigilant and tried a little harder to expose ChalkZone. He had some chances before, but he did not take them. The main reason he had been delaying was because he hadn't thought of a solid plan yet. At least one thought all the way through. He thought he had other plans before, but he realized that he hadn't actually tested them out mentally yet. They were not fully fleshed out, so he couldn't use them. He had to think about them harder and try to see hw they could work out.

And so far, he has had no such luck. He took his time walking through ChalkZone. He did not stray off course since Vice would know, but he did still walk a little slower than he normally would. This was to buy him some time to think. He took some of the plans he thought of and let them sit in his mind. He thought about their details, thought about how they could work. But each one, so far, had been a failure. He couldn't figure out how they could possibly work in the long run.

Then he was down to two plans. He gritted his teeth at the thought of having only two plans that seemed to be doable. Oh well, it was better than nothing. If he had come out here with no plan, he didn't know if he could even attempt to expose ChalkZone without accidentally revealing himself. If he knew he could get away with it, he'd force the two to cooperate and help him expose ChalkZone. But he knew it was not going to work out that way. It wasn't going to be that simple.

Both plans were pretty simple. One involved him just going into the real world. It was similar to what he did before, only this time, he would sneak away. Once he was far enough away from Rudy and Penny, he could attempt to expose himself as a 2D drawing. It should be pretty easy. As much as he hated water, if he showed he could be erased by water, perhaps let a tiny portion of his hand get erased, he would be believed as a true walking drawing. And he could accomplish this well before those two brats showed up.

And then there was the second idea, which was what he was going to go for first, as it seemed the easiest one of the two to do. It wouldn't involve him going into the real world at all. All he would have to do is go meet up with Rudy and Penny and let them walk away. He'd pretend to go with them, but then he would uncover the portal, which Rudy surely would have hidden. It was school time, so if he exposed the portal, a lot of people were going to see ChalkZone.

He grinned darkly. It would work perfectly. He might not even need the other plan. He'd hang onto it just in case. But uncovering the portal was the simplest, most effective way he could do it. Some of these humans were pretty dim, so it might not be enough to show that he was a drawing. If they saw the portal, saw inside ChalkZone, they'd freak out. They would know it was real and they would begin to flood the place. The plan would come to full fruition.

He had just one shot at this. He couldn't screw it up. If he did, then that would be another wasted day. He would have to talk to Vice more about what they could do. Maybe he could convince her that if his second plan did not work, with escaping through the portal and wandering around the real world trying to reveal himself, then maybe they could just skip down to killing Rudy and Penny.

But not right away of course. He would need to make sure they left a portal open. If they were killed with all portals closed, then they lose their chance at exposing ChalkZone to the real world. So he would make sure that the portal was not erased, may convince Rudy somehow to leave it open.

Then, after that...he could come in for the kill. He could lead them into a trap. He hadn't thought of how he was going to do that, though. It wasn't like he could create a trap. He'd have to think of a dangerous place to lead them but... No that wouldn't work either. So long as Rudy had the magic chalk, he could always draw a way out. He'd have to take it from him somehow. Would that be something Snap would do? Probably not. It would be best to have Rudy willingly give it to him and then lead them into a trap, but how?

This was going to be harder than he thought. He had been so excited about killing those two just to get at Snap, that he had forgotten about thinking more thoroughly about this portion of the plan as well. At least there was still some time left before that phase of the plan came up. He needed to figure out some way to lead those two somewhere dangerous, somewhere that they couldn't get out of, but he could. If only he had thought about designing a trap ahead of time.

Hmm well there was the Mumbo Jumbo Jungle. That place had a lot of danger in it. Perhaps it could have some pitfalls hidden somewhere, or some other things he could use to trap those two. Yeah, that place sounded like a good area to start looking around. He would go there after his visit with Rudy and Penny if this plan did not work out. Before he'd head back to meet up with Vice, he'll take a look around Mumbo Jumbo Jungle and see if there's any particularly dangerous spot or area he could use as a trap. He can't build anything, but maybe the large jungle had something he could use to his advantage.

And luckily, he still had time. Snap was still alive and could still provide blood for his disguise. Vice believed she could keep him alive a little longer. A couple more days. If Snap dies before the plan is complete, his blood would become useless; it'd dry up and Vice wouldn't be able to inject it into the amulet he now wears around his neck. So yeah, he had time, but not a whole lot. He had to hurry things along a little.

He might try to bring Vice along. Snap couldn't go anywhere in his state and plus he was always locked up. They could afford to both leave the building entirely to look for a suitable spot to trap Rudy and Penny. She might be able to come up with some ideas that could work. Maybe spot some areas he didn't notice before.

Admittingly, the thought of going near her again anytime soon was a little unnerving. He still couldn't get over how she had reacted earlier that day. He never expected her to get angry like that. He had never seen her that upset before. It made him wonder why she hadn't said anything to him before about trying again. Did she just expect him to know what she wanted? Apparently so.

It was definitely a scary feeling when that rage was directed towards him. And he felt like his heart stopped beating when she had threatened to kill him like that. Towards Snap, he wouldn't have cared so much. But against him..that was a whole different story. It was then he realized that Vice might not have needed him after all. She did say she could carry on without him, but..how? She never said why. Could she have been bluffing just to scare him into working harder?

He was not going to take a chance, though. Even if she was just bluffing, what she had done to Boorat served as a reminder of why he should do what she says. He remembered how shocked he was to hear what she had done to the large grey rat. He didn't think it was a smart move. He still believed he could have been useful in some way. Even as simple as a mere distraction or something...

Instead, Vice decided to just...kill him. No, not just kill him. Torture him to death. That's what happened to him. She had drugged him, strapped him down, muzzled him, and performed a vivisection on him. He was glad that she did not describe the whole thing in gruesome detail, but what she had said...it was more than enough for him to picture what happened to the rat. Flashes of horrific images plagued his mind. So much red...so many organs...so many bones.. He had a hard time getting it out of his head.

And he had been awake during most of the procedure, too, if he heard Vice correctly. The thought sent shudders down his spine. Not because he cared about Boorat. He hardly knew him enough to form a strong opinion of him. But he knew that it could just as easily have been him. If Vice finds he is no longer useful, she could turn and do that to him.

And seeing what she did to Snap... He didn't want to be in that situation. He remembered how scared Snap looked, the injuries he recieved from Vice, and him as well, and he could tell how much pain he was in. Not that he cared; he felt he deserved every ounce of pain they gave him. But the thought of him having to go through that himself sent chills down his spine. He would have to make sure he remained useful to Vice, or else that could be his fate.

He was getting close to where the portal was going to be now. Rudy and Penny would show up pretty soon. A few minutes give or take. He had to think of what to say to them when they got through. He knew they were going to want to try to find Boorat. And that was going to cause some problems. Potentially big ones.

There was a chance that someone in ChalkZone had seen Boorat come with him towards the hospital. If Rudy and Penny could wind of that, they would follow that trail, which would take them to where their friend is being held prisoner. He would need to find someway to lead them elsewhere, or to convince them going after Boorat isn't necessary anymore. Maybe he could find a way to convince Rudy the situation is already taken care of. It would mean no more excuse for his odd behavior, but that was better than the alternative.

If he told Rudy Boorat was dead, that could lead to more problems. Zoner death, at least by natural causes, was rare. It was very unlikely that Boorat would have just keeled over one day from a cold or something. Most zoner death was caused by something in ChalkZone, such as a deadly weapon or even by another zoner. Rudy would want to investigate what happened. He'd want to find out what happened to Boorat, who and what did it, and make sure it didn't happen to any other zoners.

And that searching could lead him straight to the hospital...and he could not allow that to happen. If he went there, he would definitely find Snap there too. If he did enough searching, he'd find him. And there goes their plans. He needed to be sure something like that did not happen.

Now he was in the spot where Rudy and Penny would meet Snap. He stood there and waited. His mind filled with many different thoughts. This day could go many ways, depending on how he managed to pull things off. He thought about what he was going to say to the two and how he was going to respond to their questions. He had to try to be a little nicer, to try to make it seem convincing that Boorat was no longer a problem without revealing that he was dead.

He didn't have long to think. The portal was opening up. He saw the glowing outline as it moved all the way around into a circle. And then it opened up. He watched as Rudy drew some stairs all the way down, Penny following close behind him. When they got to the bottom, Sol was happy that Rudy did not erase the steps. That would make things easier. He could see the darkened area where the portal was covered. His body tensed up in anticipation. Just needed to wait for the right moment...

He was torn from his thoughts when Rudy and Penny started to approach him. He made sure to keep a smile on his face. A friendly one, not an evil one like he would normally give them. He watched as they got closer to him. Raising up his hand, he proceeded to fool them like he always did.

"Hello, Rudy and Penny!" Sol said, imitating Snap perfectly. He waved at them, trying to make himself sound and look happier than he had been the last couple days.

"Hey, Snap! How are you feeling?" Rudy asked as he and Penny stopped a couple feet in front of whom they believed was their friend. "Did Boorat give you anymore trouble?"

Sol shook his head. "No, he didn't. He's going to leave me alone now."

"Really?" Penny stared at Rudy, and back at Sol. She looked perplexed. "That's strange. I don't think Boorat would just call the whole thing off that fast. What did you do to make him leave you alone?"

Sol hadn't thought about that. He stammered as he searched his mind for some kind of reply. "Well..I just..." What would Snap have done? He couldn't say punch him. That might blow his cover. Unable to think of a better idea, he quickly said, "Someone else pissed him off, so he decided to go after that guy instead."

Rudy narrowed his eyes. "I've got to stop him."

Sol stared at him. "What?" He said in a soft voice so he could barely hear him.

"We can't let him get away with hurting zoners." Rudy said. He gestured to Penny and Sol. "Come on, we have to find him and apprehend him before he causes more damage!"

Sol wanted to slap himself in the face. He just made things worse for himself. Now Rudy is going to try to find a zoner that is dead..and if he found someone who spotted Boorat going towards that hospital... He wanted to try to stop Rudy and get him to do something else, get him to forget about Boorat. But that was going to be impossible. If there was one thing he knew for certain about the boy, it's that he doesn't give up when his mind is set on something. He was going to go find Boorat and nothing would change his mind.

But, as he saw the two humans start to run, he realized this gave him an opportunity. He had a chance now to expose the portal. Rudy and Penny were too busy running to pay attention to him. They believed he was running with them. He gave a dark grin as he watched the two fools leave. He looked up at the portal. If he managed to expose ChalkZone now, it didn't matter if Rudy and Penny learned the truth about Boorat and where their friend was. By then, it would be too late.

Sol took a quick glance at the fleeing humans before turning his attention back to the portal above him. Grinning evilly, he rushed up the steps that Rudy stupidly did not erase. When he got on the final step, he peaked out of the portal and looked around.

No humans in sight. A shame. That would have made the exposure even faster if someone had spotted him. He shrugged it off. Oh well. Someone would be back here soon enough. He just needed to delay Rudy and Penny long enough for their teacher to come back and see the portal.

He got out of the portal, pushing aside the map that was pulled down over the portal. He took another look around. He listened for anyone coming down the hallways. Hearing nothing, he grabbed the map and pulled it up all the way, completely exposing the portal to anyone who decided to come by this way. He folded his arms and stared at the exposed portal, smirking darkly to himself. Yes, this would do nicely.

Not wasting anymore time, he jumped back through the portal. He miscalculated his jump and he ended up toppling down the stairs. He let out a few yelps of pain as he hit against the stairs. He landed on the bottom step and slumped down. He groaned and rubbed his head. He needed to be a little more careful next time.

He looked out ahead. Rudy and Penny were far off in the horizon by now. It looked like they had stopped and...they were coming back? He guessed they realized that he wasn't with them. He decided to use the couple new bruises he got from falling down as an explanation for why he wasn't with them. He'll just say that he tripped and fell somewhere. He brushed himself off and started to run towards the approaching human children. He had to make sure he reached them long before they got close enough to the portal to see that it was exposed.

If they saw that it was reopened, there goes this attempt. Oh well...there was still that other one he could try. And if nothing else, they could just skip to killing the two. A dark smile spread across his face. He really wanted to hear Penny scream as he ripped out her guts. He hoped Snap would be awake for it. It will be...quite a show.

sss

"Hmm...so Sol actually tried to do something this time." Vice said in an amused tone. "I would have thought for sure he would have chickened out. I guess my threat worked, wouldn't you say, Snap?"

Unable to reply, Snap just laid still in her arms. Well almost still. He was trembling in fear as he had no choice but to let her hold him. Her arms were still wrapped around him, pulling him close to her. Her touch frightened him. It made his blood run cold. There was something off even about the way she touched him. Something that screamed to his mind to run.

Snap was entirely on edge. He couldn't try to relax. And it wasn't only because of the pain, though that played a large part in this. But he was in the arms of his enemy and she could hurt him at any time. Even her just holding him sent shockwaves of pain through his body as she was irritating the wounds. And the video in front of him, with Sol further tricking his friends, did not help. And when he pulled the map up to expose the portal, Snap wanted to scream a warning to Rudy and Penny. But even if he could still talk, his words would have fallen on deaf ears.

If his screaming would do anything right now, if he attempted, it would just irritate Vice. She might decide to hurt him again quicker just to get back at him. Yeah, it was best not to try to make loud noises when watching the footage. There was nothing he could do about it. All he could do is watch in fear, his body shaking, as Rudy and Penny were being fooled by this imposter. And he could only hope for the best regarding portal. Maybe no one will see it. Maybe Rudy or Penny will notice the portal is exposed and go and cover it up real quick.

Snap winced as he felt Vice start to stroke him on his head. Vice moved her hoof hand over the top of his head, gently rubbing it. He could do nothing except whimper and growl as she continued to caress him. He wanted to struggle. But he was unable to due to the pain and weakness that spread through his body. He could feel her rubbing his head in small circles, causing his heart to beat faster and his body to shake harder. He wished she let him go. He just wanted to go home.

He then felt the hand move down a little. Now it was on his cheek. Weakly, he moved his eyes over to see the hand, or what he could of it anyway. He snarled as the unicorn caressed his cheek. He bared his teeth, growling lowly as he stared intently at the hand. He could hear Vice chuckling. She was not taking him seriously. She knew he was too weak to attempt to bite her again.

The hand moved down a little further and she rubbed the bottom of his chin. Her hand went across his face, covering a part of his cheek. Her hoof fingers scratched his chin playfully like he were just some cat. He hated this treatment. He didn't like being treated like he was her pet. His heart beating faster, he attempted to struggle, fighting against the pain to try to move. This prompted Vice to hold onto him fighter, causing him to yelp in pain as she pressed against his wounds.

"You're too injured to try to move, honey. Just stay still and relax." Vice said in her usual fake sweet voice. She moved her hand down and pressed it against his chest. "Again with the speeding heart. You need to relax, child. This isn't that bad." She moved her hand up and pressed it against the side of his face. She put her face next to his, her lips pulled back into a grin as she listened to him whimper. "Shhh...it will be okay. Everything will be fine."

He wanted to say something. Anything. He wanted to tell her to leave him alone. He wanted to beg her to release him. He opened up his mouth and tried to speak. All he could manage was a few pained squeaks. And each one made him want to grab his throat and try to rub it to soothe the pain. But if he tried to move either of his arms, all he would do was hurt himself more. He could do nothing to alleviate the pain.

All this was irritating his sickness as well. It had gotten even worse. His headache had intensified. He felt like his head was being pounded by a hammer and a thick nail. He wanted to rub his head and try to help himself feel better. His stomach was twisting and turning and he was doing his best to fight off the nausea. It was becoming harder not to throw up. And these issues would only get worse as she continued to feed him rotten food and dirty water.

And his fever was becoming more problematic. His fever did go up a tad higher. One degree at most, but it still went up. He felt his body shake harder as a result. As much as it disgusted him, being in Vice's arms did help a little. Her body's warmth did help fight off the chills a little. He still hated being in her arms, though, and he wanted to be put down. He was so scared of her and he wouldn't doubt that fear he had for her was making things worse for him.

He still clung onto some hope that he would be saved. A good portion of his hope left him as he helplessly watched, or was informed, that his friends were continuously falling for Sol's disguise. He had hoped, by now, they would have realized something wasn't right about the 'Snap' they were hanging out with and see through his disguise.

But it's been a couple days now. And his friends were still fooled by it. He could feel himself growing weaker. He was losing strength every minute, every hour he was in this wretched place. If Rudy and Penny don't realize that he was in trouble soon, he might not make it. But at this rate...it might be too late by the time they figured out anything.

Yet he still remained hopeful that they might still find out in time. He hoped they would find out before it was too late for him, for them, and for ChalkZone. There was still some time left. They still had the chance to tell that they were with some crazed Snip. If they'd only take a closer look... If only they could notice his odd behavior and realize something off about it. If only they paid attention...

It was hard to remain focused while he was in so much pain. The pain was making his thoughts hazy to some degree. And it caused him to argue with himself. There was a growing part of him that wanted to say that his friends either don't care about him or would never find him in time. He didn't want to believe such a thing. He did not want to believe that his friends would abandon him on purpose. Yet, that part of his mind would not leave him alone. It nagged at him, nearly causing him to feel something he never thought he'd feel around his friends.

Betrayal.

Even though he knew that they weren't doing it on purpose, and though he understood that Rudy and Penny didn't know any better, a part of him almost felt...betrayed by the way they were treating Sol. Yeah, the things they say and do with the guy were meant for him, not some psychotic Snip bent on revenge. But a part of Snap still felt a little hurt. It almost felt like they replaced him. The pain brought on by that thought, he couldn't shake it off.

He could feel Vice adjust herself in the seat. She started to reposition him. He cried softly, tears flowing down his face, as she moved him, irritating his injuries. Soon he was laying across her lap, stomach down. He felt her start to rub his back, tracing her hoof fingers from the back of his head down his spine. This motion sent shivers through his body. His whimpers grew louder, intermixing them with a few snarls.

This did not stop Vice. She continued petting him like he was a dog or cat. Her hand ran along his back, stopping in the middle, and then moved back up. She stroked the back of his head and then placed her hoof hand on his shoulders, resting them there. Snap bared his teeth as he felt her rub the space between his shoulders a little.

"I know you can't see what's going on right now, but it's nothing really interesting anyway." Vice commented as she rubbed his back. "Just Sol walking around with your two friends. Though, it is quite amusing how easily they are fooled. I do have to wonder if they will find out before it's too late."

Snap winced and stifled a cry of pain as Vice picked him up from under his arms like she had when she brought him over here. She held him out in front of her, staring at him intently. Unable to do much struggling, he hung there limply, staring at her fearfully.

"Time is running out for them, Snap. At this rate, they will die sometime before you." Vice said, smiling at him. She laughed when Snap snarled at her, exposing his teeth at her. A low growl escaped his throat. "Still got a little bit of spirit left in you, I see. I guess that is a little hard to...snuff out. But no worries..." She placed him on her lap again, laying her against him. "I know how to deal with that."

Snap's growling continued, intermixed with whimpering and crying. He couldn't stop the tears from flowing. He knew, with terror in his heart, what she was planning to do to him. A rough idea. She was going to hurt him again. After what's already happened to him, and what he knew would come for him in the end, he couldn't imagine what more she could do to him. He didn't want to imagine it.

Horrible thoughts ran throug his mind as to what she could have done to him. Maybe she would break one of his arms. Maybe slice one of his legs. Maybe break his foot. These were just one of many thoughts that invaded his mind.

He didn't have to wonder for too long what she was going to do.

"After Sol's attempt today, and he returns, I am going to perform surgery on you." Vice said. Snap's eyes widened as far as they could in his weakened state. "I'm not going to remove anything major from you. Just one of your kidneys, and it will be properly stored. You only need one anyway. And the best part..." She lowered her head and whispered into his working left ear. "I will inject you with something that will keep you awake during the whole thing."

Snap's heart started to race. His growls vanished completely, replaced with increased whimpering and sobbing. He tried to shake his head in protest, but barely managed to move at all. No...she couldn't do that to him.. No... Why would she do something so cruel and unnecessary? Surgery while he was awake? That was going to be unbearable... Nothing he felt before was going to compare to something like that.

Vice smirked evilly down at him. She squeezed him a little tighter, her snout and head draped over his shoulder. Her smile broadened as she heard him cry in pain and try weakly, so hard, to struggle. Snap's heart pounded in his chest as he stared at her fearfully, color draining from his face. There had to be someway to get out of this. Someway...

"After that, I don't think you would have the courage to do even the simplest growl. You will become completely submissive to me." Vice said. She ran her hand along the back of his head once more. "That will make setting up for your vivisection a whole lot easier. It's always easier securing my victims when they're more...cooperative."

Snap sobbed a little harder. It hurt his throat, but he couldn't stop crying. He felt his body tremble harder like he was caught in a blizzard. He looked at the video, his heart racing faster, his mind filling with dread. He begged for Rudy and Penny to find him quickly. He hoped that they would figure out the truth today and come save him before he had to endure this twisted and unnecessary surgery. He hoped they would escape from whatever trap Sol would spring on them and come rescue him before Vice would do worse and start the vivisection on him.

He didn't want to die.


	12. Suspicious Thoughts

Penny looked at her surroundings. She, Rudy, and Snap were walking down the streets of ChalkZone City. The place was bustling with chalk life. Citizens were walking up and down the streets, going to their jobs, doing some shopping, among other things. It was always like this, always so busy with so many zoners.

So it came as a shock to her when, so far, nobody they asked had any idea where Boorat was. That seemed really odd. Boorat wasn't a quiet zoner. He was pretty loud, rushed through people, shoved others out of the way. He was easy to spot. It wouldn't be too hard for someone to notice him wandering around. And yet, no one whom they asked thus far had actually seen him. Maybe they were just asking the wrong zoners, but something about this didn't add up.

She had asked Snap again where Boorat and this guy had encountered each other. His answer had never changed. He would only say it was somewhere in ChalkZone City. He seemed annoyed by her asking him the same question over and over again. She couldn't help it, though. She needed to make sure he had given the right answer. She began to wonder if it actually happened somewhere else, maybe in Candycane Forest or that valley with the giant babies or something. There were many places in ChalkZone. She wondered if Snap just forgot where he was for a moment and remembered the wrong location.

Not a likely story, she knew. Snap usually had a good memory. There were times where he did get places mixed up, though that was primarily involving portals, and those he had gotten better at. So the thought of him naming and remembering the wrong place wasn't likely. But there wasn't many options that she could consider.

She and her friends continued their walk through the city. Once in a while, Rudy or her would stop a stranger and ask them about Boorat. And again, there were no answers. They had asked probably thirty zoners by now. And none of them could provide a clearcut answer. None of them had seen Boorat, and if any might have, it was such a vague description that it wouldn't be useful to them anyway. Penny began to suspect, even more so now, that maybe something was wrong with Snap's story. It wasn't that she didn't trust him. But she started to wonder if there were holes in his story.

Boorat was a large zoner. He was roughly as tall as an adult. He was loud. He was wild. He was not subtle in anyway. He wasn't the type of zoner to sneak around. When he wanted to get at someone, he just runs right for them. When he met her and Rudy for the first time, he was picking up zoners and tossing them aside like it was nothing. He didn't try to come in quietly and single Rudy out. He barged his way through the crowd to get at him.

According to what Snap told them later on, as well as some other zoners, like Granny, who spotted Boorat in ChalkZone City, he behaved the same way out there too. Running towards random zoners, trying to get Rudy's scent. A lot of zoners had seen him due to how loud and noisy he was. He was very hard for zoners to miss as he came rampaging through the streets, shouting about the 'magic chalk' and 'must find Tabootie'.

Because of this, she couldn't understand why, after Boorat threatened another zoner and went after them, no one had noticed this. No zoner had seen Boorat around here. No one had seen him go after another zoner. No one heard the familiar snarls and growls of the large rodent. No one had heard Boorat shout 'come back here' or anything along those lines. Heck, they didn't hear him speak at all. If this had happened outside of ChalkZone City, it would make sense. But in the big city, it seemed very unlikely. Even if it happened when many zoners were sleeping, there were still zoners up. Someone would have had to see it. But as they asked the thirty fifth zoner with no luck, she was beginning to wonder if they were going around in circles.

How could anyone miss a big rat like Boorat rushing down the streets? It just didn't make any sense. She could see not many seeing him. But everyone? And there was no talk of anyone being threatened. No zoner had mentioned anything about knowing somebody who had been threatened by the giant rat. This didn't seem very likely. If someone were in danger from Boorat, they would have told someone, wouldn't they? They would have, at the very least, come over to Rudy and ask him for help. But that never happened as they traversed through the city.

There was something else, too. She recalled that Snap said Boorat wanted to kill them. She didn't think of it clearly then, but she realized that something about that didn't...sound right at all. Boorat was a jerk, yes. And he had harmed zoners before. But she never saw him as a killer. Even after he been unfrozen, he never tried to kill anyone. It didn't seem to be something that would cross the large zoner's mind. Had Snap said that he was going to beat them up, she could believe that. But kill...murder... That seemed less likely. She wondered if Snap had meant beat up rather than kill. No..it was hard to mix up the world kill like that.

This all left an uncomfortable feeling settling in her stomach. It meant that there might be more going on than she realized. Perhaps there were more zoners involved in Snap being threatened? Maybe there was more complexity behind all of this? There was something else that came to her mind, but she tried to push it back. It was a sickening feeling, something she didn't want to think about. The thought continuously invaded her head. There was nothing she could do to make it go away.

There was a chance that Snap had been lying to them. This wasn't like him, though. Why would he lie to them about what happened to him? She thought that he could trust them. They were his friends, after all. Why would he want to make up a story and have them all worried over a situation that might have never happened to begin with? The thought did upset her, a small tinge of anger rising inside of her. If she found out that he had lied about this whole thing...she wasn't sure what she was going to do. Maybe try to make Snap realize how wrong he was and get an apology out of him.

She didn't know which was worse. That, or the other thought that creeped into her head. She stared at Snap as the unsettling feeling increased. He watched as he walked alongside Rudy. A smile on his face, waving to various zoners as they headed down the streets. Although it had never crossed her mind before, as they walked, as she stared, there was..something about him she did not notice before. Something that was..creepy, and unsettling. The way he moved, the way he talked, even the way he smiled, something about all of it seemed...off.

Before, it wouldn't have bothered her. Earlier today, she wouldn't have had these feelings. A while ago, she would have felt just fine. But now, as she was taking Snap's words into account, as she replayed past events in her head, she was realizing something..didn't seem right about anything that's happened recently. Snap hadn't acted like himself lately. He had been a little more aggressive, a little more mean. There were things that he was doing that didn't seem like something Snap would do, such as swipe her hand away and forgetting to wish Rudy to get well when he was sick.

She could have dismissed it as Snap being afraid of Boorat. She could have dismissed it as him being so terrified he was acting irrationally. But as they walked through the city, finding no one who had seen Boorat, she was starting to get a different picture. She stared, again, at Snap as they walked. What if Boorat had never threatened him? What if the behavior wasn't the result of fear? What if...?

She tried to push the thought aside. Maybe there was a better reason. Maybe Snap was mad about something very simple, and, to make it seem more serious, he lied. But..no...Snap wouldn't lie. She reminded herself of that over and over. Snap was not a liar. He was honest and truthful.

But if he wasn't lying, then why hadn't anyone seen Boorat? If Boorat had threatened him or anyone else in ChalkZone City, someone would have seen it, heard it. But everyone they asked did not notice anything unusual anywhere. With how many zoners that traverse through here, it was...more or less impossible that no one saw what had happened. With Boorat being a noisy zoner, and his running through the streets not the quietest thing in the world, someone, no, many zoners would have taken notice.

As much as Penny hated to admit it, there was only one thing she could think of that might explain it. Boorat never threatened Snap or anyone, at least not in ChalkZone City. That could mean Snap lied, but Snap is no liar. Again, he was honest. And when it came to serious things like a zoner threatening to beat him up, he wouldn't lie about that. He would never lie about something like that.

And that brought her to an unnerving conclusion. As she stared at Snap as they walked down the streets, she began to ask herself a dreadful question. A question she never thought she'd ask about one of her own friends. One that left more questions than answers. One that filled her heart and blood with ice.

Was this Snap at all...?

And if it wasn't Snap...then who was he? And where...where was the real Snap..?

She tried not to think about it. She did her best not to let it show. She could be completely wrong. She didn't want to point any accusing fingers yet. She didn't want to look like a jerk and demand to know if this zoner really was Snap or not. As nervous as she was starting to become, she couldn't let him know she was starting to wonder if he really was Snap. Until she was able to get evidence, she decided to keep it to herself.

She didn't want to say anything to Rudy yet either. She didn't want to upset him. He hadn't shown any signs of being suspicious, and she didn't want to start a fight with him. Rudy wouldn't be happy if she started to accuse this Snap of not being the real Snap, especially if she had no proof of it. She would have to wait and see if this zoner did anything else that seemed suspicious or out of the ordinary.

She recalled his behavior in school earlier. The way he had just waltzed right in, the way he had purposely started a fight with Reggie Bullnerd. Again, this did not sound like something Snap would do. She could try to chalk it up to fear and anxiety making him behave differently. But the Boorat story wasn't adding up completely. Killing them wasn't something Boorat would do, and he couldn't have attacked anyone in ChalkZone City and have no one find out about it. That was very unlikely.

Had this been similiar to the real world, she would probably buy it more easily. The earth rotates around the sun. The sun sets. Darkness comes. Then the light. Cities are, for half the day, cast in shadow. But in ChalkZone, this was not the case. One half was always light, the other always dark. ChalkZone City was in day zone, not the night zone. So it wasn't like Boorat could wait for a certain time and use the shadows to his advantage. That would be impossible. And, as she reminded herself, there was always someone in ChalkZone City, no matter how late it was.

The only thing that would explain the odd behavior and why no one saw Boorat, as uncomfortable as it was for Penny to consider, is that this wasn't Snap. She felt bad for thinking about it. She didn't want to accuse this zoner of not being Snap, especially if she turned out to be wrong.

But what else could explain the behavior? What else could explain why, despite the attack supposedly taking place in ChalkZone City, no zoner, no matter how many they asked, had noticed the large grey rat running around anywhere?

If this zoner they were with really was a...a doppelganger...that would explain everything. Boorat wasn't spotted because he had never threatened Snap at all. He wasn't roaming the streets causing any problems. Boorat had never actually threatened them. And all of Snap's odd behavior could easily be explained. If he wasn't Snap at all, then it made perfect sense.

This caused fear to rise up inside of her. Again, she did her best not to show it. She had no idea what the intentions were...if this zoner was not Snap. If she showed any signs of suspicion, would he try to harm her? Yeah, best to play along and keep pretending she believed he was Snap. She wasn't going to say anything just in case. She didn't want to sound like a jerk accusing him in case this really was Snap and he was just having an off time lately. She would only speak out if something happened that proved that he wasn't Snap, or if Rudy also got suspicious of him as well.

The realization that this zoner they were walking with wasn't Snap did leave an unsettling mark on her psyche. All of a sudden, she did not feel safe around the zoner. She tried to shake it off, but it woudn't go away. She kept some distance. Not much so she couldn't look suspicious herself. But now, when she was near him, she got nervous and uncomfortable. And for good reason.

If this wasn't Snap..where was the real Snap? Her heart began to clench at the realization. If this wasn't Snap, then the real Snap was somewhere else. Her first conclusion was that he was captured. And if he was captured, that meant he was locked up somewhere. Yeah, he had to have been. That was the only way the doppelganger could hook up with her and Rudy. The real Snap could not get to them. Either he was captured, or he was...

She gulped at the thought of him being dead. She hoped that wasn't the case. A part of her hoped she was wrong and this zoner they were hanging out with really was Snap. Yet, she was unable to push off the nagging feeling that something was off about him. She was unable to dismiss the idea that maybe, just maybe, she and Rudy had been played for fools all along. There was that possibility that this wasn't Snap. And if that was the case...

...she hoped it wasn't too late to save the real one.

Suddenly, something clicked in the back of her head. When Snap, or whoever was claiming to be Snap, had fallen behind, she did think, at first, he just tripped and was having a hard time keeping up. She and Rudy had believed it. But, thinking back on it...it didn't make that much sense. Snap wasn't that clumsy and even if he did trip, he would have caught up to them quicker than that.

Her mind flashed through the multiple times the zoner had used his 2D powers around the school, how he had just showed up out of nowhere. A horrible thought rose up inside of her. This zoner, was he...was he trying to expose ChalkZone...? The thought sent a shiver through her body. A dreadful feeling started to overcome her. What if he..did something to the portal?

Her heart started to beat faster as the thought entered her mind. The idea of the portal being exposed... She looked back in the direction the portal was in. She bit her lip. She hoped she was wrong. But...what if she wasn't...? They...they had to go back. But how? She couldn't just take off. If this zoner wasn't Snap and he saw her running, he might not be too happy and he might do something.

It was true that it could just be her imagination running wild. She could simply be paranoid and all this was just a figment of her imagination. This could be Snap. He might just be acting out of character due to being upset. And maybe he really didn't remember the proper place where he or that other zoner was assaulted. Even if it was unlikely...there was still that chance.

But for now, she would not lower her guard. It was probably best to remain vigilant around this guy until she could prove whether or not he was Snap without raising questions, letting him know, or pointing an accusatory finger. She wanted to tell Rudy about her suspicions, but she decided against it. Since Rudy did not seem suspicious, she might be jumping the gun. He had known Snap for two years longer than her. She might be mistaken. Still, if she found evidence enough, she would tell him as soon as she could.

"This is leading us nowhere." Rudy said, ripping Penny from her thoughts. "No one here knows anything!" He turned to Snap. "You are absolutely sure it happened in ChalkZone City?"

Snap nodded his head. "Yes, I'm quite sure. Why do you keep asking me that?"

Rudy put his hands out in front of him. "Okay, sorry. No need to get so defensive." He let out a soft sigh. He took a look around ChalkZone City again. "I just don't know what to do. We've asked may fifty, sixty zoners by now. And none of them saw Boorat."

"It does seem unlikely that so many zoners would miss Boorat." Penny said, doing her best to hide her apprehensive tone when addressing the two. She looked down at Snap...or the zoner who was pretending to be Snap, and said, "Do you know at least a general location in the city where the attack occured? A street name even?"

Snap rubbed his chin and narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. He then shook his head. "No, sorry. I don't know. It happened so fast. I wasn't really paying attention to what street I was on." He looked around. "And much of this place looks the same anyway."

Again that was strange. Considering all the times he would walk through here, Penny would have thought he'd know this place pretty well. Odd that he would say it all looks the same. To someone who just came to ChalkZone City, she would believe that. But Snap has visited this place the past two years. By now, he would have had a better grasp on the place, wouldn't he?

She decided to stay quiet about it. She turned her attention to Rudy. "We've been looking for a while. Maybe we should start heading back to the portal."

Rudy let out a soft sigh. "Yeah, I suppose you're right Penny." He looked down at Snap. "Sorry. We'll have to continue the search another time. Recess is almost over and..."

"No! You can't go!" Snap cried, jumping up and down almost excitedbly. Rudy and Penny stared at him in shock, not expecting this outburst. Snap panted a few times and looked around almost frantically. "Not until we ask that guy!" He pointed his head in a direction. "He looks like he might have seen something!"

Rudy and Penny looked over at where Snap was pointing. In the alleyway, one that was a little dark considering it was in day zone, there appeared to be someone standing there, learning against the alleyway. There was a large shadow behind him. They couldn't see what it was. They looked at each other and, cautiously, approached the guy.

When they got closer, the zoner clearly spotted them. They took a step out. When he came into the light, they saw it was a human-like zoner wearing what could best be described as a torn up underwater suit. Though any underwater features such as fins or an oxygen tank were gone. The guy did wear large glasses, but that hardly accounted for goggles. He looked like he was a little malnourished, but that might be just from the way he was drawn.

He didn't look like the friendliest zoner, but he didn't look particularly mean. He seemed like the kind of zoner that preferred being left alone. He stared down at them with a blank expression. He didn't act hostile towards them, at least, not yet. The shadow behind him shifted and they realized it was a large animal of some kind. Perhaps his pet. The trio kept some distance away so they didn't end up upsetting this zoner or his huge pet. They didn't want to cause any trouble.

Rudy worked up the courage to speak to the guy. "H-Hello? Do you mind if we ask you a question?"

The diver-like zoner stared at Rudy for a second. And then he replied with a voice laced in a heavy accent. "Well sure, go ahead, little boy!"

"Okay um...well..." Rudy struggled to find the right words. "We were wondering if you had seen a large rat around here. Grey, with tall orange hair. He's pretty loud, likes to barge through people." He paused for a moment, letting the information sink into the head of the human-like zoner. He seemed to be pondering what Rudy asked of him. Rudy continued, "He threatened my friend here." He gestured to Snap, who took a tentative step forward. "And he was chasing another zoner. Did you see anything like that?"

The zoner thought for a moment. Then he shook his head. "No, sorry, little boy. I didn't see anything like that around here."

"Oh..." Rudy sounded disappointed, but at the same time, not surprised. Considering that no one else had any answers, why should this one be any different? "Well thanks anyway." He turned to Penny. "Come on, we..."

Without warning, there was a sudden snarl coming from behind the zoner. The trio watched as the shadow moved. It started to walk forward, and came into the light. They could see its form much better now. Penny's eyes widened as she realized that the thing behind the man was a large komodo dragon. Or something that looked a lot like one. It didn't have sprawled legs, but its overall body shape was like a komodo dragon. It had a twin row of a few long spikes on the back of its head, and a wicked nose horn. It had a long, dark purple forked tongue which it would flicker in and out a few times.

The feature that stood out the most to Penny were the scars. They looked almost like the beast had suffered some poor stitch jobs. Raised lines snaked all over its body, along its legs and along its back. Some even went down its underside. She wondered what could have happened to this animal zoner.

The komodo dragon looked at each of them, continuing to flicker its tongue. Then, when it locked eyes on Snap, it suddenly gave a snarl. Its lips curled back as it let out a few hisses and growls. Snap took a few steps back. Rudy got in front of him, holding out his magic chalk in an attempt to protect Snap. The beast took a step forward, opening its jaws and showing its long sharp fangs. Drool, which Penny guessed might be toxic, dripped from its maw.

The human-like zoner grabbed the chain leash that was attached to the komodo dragon and yanked it back. "Now, now, Grinder, calm down! Listen to your master, Thorn. They're just a bunch of kids, you see. Nothing to get upset about!" He ran a hand along the top of Grinder's head. He looked back at the trio. "Sorry about that. She sometimes gets a little uptight. I got her under control now."

Although Grinder continued to emit low hisses, her gaze never leaving Snap, she didn't make another move. Just like Thorn said, she was more or less under control now. She settled back on the ground, resting her head on her crossed front legs.

"Why is she like that?" Penny asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Yeah, I'd like to know as well." Snap said, his eyes narrowed slightly. "She looks like she wants to tear me apart!"

Rudy nodded his head. "Did..did something terrible happen to her?"

Thorn's expression softened up. He looked at Grinder with a sympathetic expression. "Yeah definitely. She used to be a lot nicer than this. But one day she disappeared for a while. I tried to find her day in, day out, no luck. But then one day, when I was looking for her, I found this weird place, you see. Some kind of abandoned hospital...only it wasn't abandoned. Some lights were on, but it was old..dirty...with very few cleaned rooms."

Penny gulped at this. "That sounds like a really creepy place."

Thorn nodded his head. "Yeah, it was. I didn't like the smell of it. I wanted to leave, but something compelled me to keep looking. Then I found her, all cut up and bleeding... And she was fighting off some crazed black unicorn."

Snap's eyes widened at this. "A black unicorn...?" He asked cautiously.

"Yeah. On two legs, though. In a robe. She was on the defensive. Grinder looked like she was going to kill her, which I wouldn't doubt. When she threw her aside, against some supplies which fell on her, Grinder saw me and came up to me. She was badly hurt, so I took her to the vet. They patched her right up. But since then, she has been cautious of strangers." Thorn said.

"Did you ever find out who that unicorn was?" Rudy asked, biting his lip.

Thorn said, "Yeah. I did some looking up. Turns out it was Cecilia Vice, or Dr. Vice as she was once known. She had once been a doctor in one of the hospitals pretty far from here. She had been known to be one of the nicest doctors there and one of the most popular. But one day, she started to go...a little mad. Talk of exposing ChalkZone as part of an experiment."

Rudy and Penny gasped at this. They looked at each other in horror. Another zoner like Boorat? That was the last thing they needed.

"She had left that hospital in pursuit of this goal of hers. But not long after, she was involved in an accident. The stories vary as to what happened to her, but the two most common is that the accident killed her. Well I know that not to be true, so the second story was the correct one. The accident damaged her brain, making her personality go unstable. Soon some zoners started to disappear, and some believe it was her doing." Thorn bit his lip as he stared down at Grinder. "After what happened to my friend here, I wouldn't doubt that to be the case."

"Oh my..that's...that's horrible..." Penny said, putting her hands to her mouth. "Didn't you report it to the police?"

"I tried." Thorn sighed heavily. "They didn't believe me. They said that Dr. Vice died years ago. And many who remember her fondly refuse to believe the idea of her turning into a monster. I can't really blame them." Thorn patted the back of Grinder's shoulders. "It did sicken me when they suggested I did this to Grinder. I would never hurt her."

Penny looked at him sympathetically. That would be an awful feeling to go through. She couldn't imagine would it would be like if Rudy were badly hurt and she was the one blamed for it, when all she would be doing was trying to help him. The feeling would be..horrific. It would be a terrible sting and it wouldn't go away anytime soon.

She felt bad for Thorn. It sounded like he never got closer for what happened to Grinder. To be stolen and then tortured like that...it was awful. And it was made worse when he couldn't bring the one responsible to justice. Penny wasn't sure if this black unicorn and Dr. Vice were one and the same, and she wasn't even sure it was a black unicorn he saw. But she did believe that something happened to Grinder, with all those scars. She hoped that, one day, Thorn could get justice for her.

The idea of a once good doctor going bad...it send chills down Penny's spine. Doctors were supposed to help people. They were supposed to do good. The idea of one turning rogue and causing pain on purpose..it was very unsettling. It made her think of her mother, who was a vet. She thought of how her mom would help those animals and take good care of them. She shuddered to think of what would happen if her mom was involved in an accident and she became...like Vice... No, that wouldn't happen. She shook the dreadful thought from her head the best she could.

The talk of Vice wanting to expose ChalkZone...that had her really worried. She knew Boorat wanted to do that. And so far, he had failed. But what as Vice's plans? Why did she want to expose it? What was this experiment? How far had she gotten? What were her tactics? It was unsettling to think that there was another zoner trying to expose ChalkZone and she and her friends had no idea until now.

"Is there anything else you can tell us?" Rudy asked.

Thorn thought for a moment, and said, "Yeah, there is one more thing. Because she is a unicorn, she is infused with some level of magic. She rarely used it when she was a surgeon. But she probably uses it more now. I wouldn't doubt she dabbles in the dark arts for her goals. I couldn't tell you what she could do, though."

"Okay...thanks for the information, sir." Penny said. She turned her attention to Rudy. "We need to head back to the portal now. Recess is almost over."

"But, couldn't we ask a few more zoners?" Snap asked.

Rudy shook his head. "Sorry, Snap. But Penny is right. Recess is almost over. We need to head back now."

With that, Rudy and Penny waved goodbye and took off in the direction of the portal. As they ran, Penny could have sworn she could hear Snap calling out 'wait' many times. Or..whoever that turned out to be, in case it really wasn't Snap.

Something just didn't feel right about this zoner they were hanging out with. And the way Grinder reacted to him...she wasn't sure it was coincidence. She didn't behave like that against her or Rudy. It was only Snap..or whoever he was. She would still keep quiet until she was absolutely certain. Until then, she would just have to be a little more cautious around him.

sss

Snap let out low whimpers as Vice picked him up into her arms. She had shut off the television after Sol's mission had failed. Snap moved his undamaged leg weakly, trying to kick at her. Vice did not respond to it. She ignored him as she dragged the chair back its place and pushed the television aside, keeping Snap held against her with one arm.

Getting a little backstory on Vice wasn't something he had expected. And knowing what he did now, he was even more terrified of her. The thought of her once being such a nice zoner, and then turned into...this...it was frightening. And he learned a little more of why she wanted to expose ChalkZone. Something about an experiment. What experiment though? What was she trying to do? What was it she wanted to prove?

He would have asked her if he could speak. But even if he could speak, he had his doubts that she would even answer him. She would probably just say that he'd find out later or that it was none of his business. And he wasn't even sure if he wanted to talk to her anyway. The way she talks to him, the things she says, the way she pets him like he were her pet, it scared him and made him uneasy. Even if he weren't in pain, it would be hard to concentrate on what to say when she behaved like that.

He had noticed something unusual during the watching. When he managed to see her face when that komodo dragon...Grinder was it..., he noticed that Vice looked visibly shocked. Not really worried or upset. Just shocked. And when that Thorn guy talked about how a black unicorn hurt her, he immmediately connected it with Vice. That komodo dragon must have been one of her victims that managed to survive the torture. And he had reacted viciously to Sol, maybe due to Vice's scent being on him.

That gave Snap more hope. Maybe Rudy and Penny would take note of the komodo dragon's behavior and try to make a connection. Maybe they would see that the zoner they were with was an imposter and they could come find him and save him. And maybe Thorn and Grinder could help them, too. It wasn't much and there was a huge chance that Rudy and Penny wouldn't realize the meaning of Grinder's aggression towards the doppelganger. But at least it made him feel more hopeful than he's been feeling lately. There was a somewhat bigger chance now that his friends would realize the truth in time.

Sol did manage to catch up to Rudy and Penny, but fortunately he was not able to stop them from climbing through the portal. Rudy made a comment about how he had forgotten to cover up the hole. This worried Snap and it made Vice smile. So they didn't make that connection yet. But at least no one had seen the open portal while they were gone, against the odds. Sol did try to get Rudy and Penny to come back in, but the portal was soon erased.

This brought mixed feelings to Snap. It brought him happiness because it meant that Sol failed in his attempt to expose ChalkZone. The portal was gone. There was nothing more for Sol to do now. He could no longer contact Rudy and Penny until they came back to ChalkZone later that day, where he was certain that he might try to expose ChalkZone again. At least he failed this time, though.

But it also gave him a sense of dread. Since Sol was finished, that meant that he was going to come back here. Vice had told him about performing surgery on him while he was awake. She told him that they would get started as soon as Sol got back. And now that Snip was coming back here this very second.

Snap's heart started to race and his whimpers increased as he was brought over to the operating table. He tried to struggle, but stopped when he aggravated his injuries again. Pain and agony swept through his body, causing him to freeze and tense up. He wanted to get away. He tried to get away. He was in too much pain, too weak to move effectively. His growling did nothing to slow Vice down. And soon she sat him on the table, sitting up. She kept him up with one of her hands and she reached for something.

A needle... Snap feebly shook his head in protest. Vice just smiled at him. She pressed the needle into his shoulder. In seconds, the ice cold liquid entered his body and it didn't take long for the effects to grab a hold of him. With the last of his strength gone, Snap was nothing more than a limp rag doll as Vice repositioned him on the table and began to strap him down.

"Sol will be back here any second, sweetheart." Vice said as she strapped his arms down, and then his legs. "When he gets here, we will get started."

Snap whimpered, his lower lip quivering, as Vice pulled up the tray filled with sharp tools. She grabbed some disinfectant and she rubbed it on his stomach, where his kidneys would be. The touch sent shudders through his body. Soon, he would be feeling sharp scalpels cutting the skin and flesh. His body trembled as hard as it could while under the drug's effects. He looked up at her pleadingly.

Vice disappeared from his view. He could hear her rummaging through some stuff. Then she came walking back towards him. She held up the object she was looking for. Snap realized it was the muzzle she was talking about. It was made of thick leather. It had a somewhat flat, somewhat rounded front made of a mesh of metal going up and down, kind of like what he'd see used for dogs, both real and chalk. It also had some thin, adjustable metal parts that he guessed reinforced the strength of the muzzle.

Realizing his head wasn't strapped down, Snap attempted to shake his head. He managed to move his head a little bit to the right and left. But it was barely anything, and even if Vice saw it, she would have ignored it. She moved over behind him and lifted his head gently. She fitted the muzzle over his head and began to secure it. Snap let out a yelp as she tightened it more so than necessary, forcing his teeth to grind together.

He looked up at her fearfully as she took a few steps back, smiling down in satisfaction. "There, that will keep you from screaming, honey. This may not hurt as much as a vivisection, but it is still no cake walk. I don't want my ears damaged from you screaming your little heart out." She grinned. "And the shot is guaranteed to keep you as still as possible for this. If you move during this, I could slip and you could be in worse pain. So you should thank me for that."

Snap emitted weak whines as she went over and started to strap his head and neck down. He winced as the cold metal pressed against his sliced throat. Vice ignored this and secured both metal straps. Snap started to shed tears of pain and started to cry softly as shere agony spread through his neck. He was unable to do anything to alleviate the pain.

"Now, all we have to do is wait here for Sol to come back." Vice said, smiling down at him. "And then we can get started."

Snap's eyes widened in fear as Vice held up the scalpel for him to see.


	13. Doctor Insanity

Vice smiled down in satisfaction at her victim. Snap was completely strapped down, muzzled, and ready to go. She had made sure to inject him with more of that tranquilizer to make sure he didn't move much during surgery. She didn't want to kill him. At least, not yet.

Her eyes gazed him up and down. She looked down at his arms. She remembered how good it felt when she cut him open and got a glimpse of his blood. She even got some that feeling when she allowed Sol to use the tools. Not to the same degree; it's more euphoric to her when she is the one doing the cutting.

But all of that..it had just been a mere tease. A warm up. A preview. Nothing much. Yeah, she saw some blood and that sent tingles through her head and the back of her neck. But nothing could compare to seeing the inside of the body. Anatomy was quite fascinating. Seeing it in pictures was okay. But seeing it for real, with a living victim, now that was something else. She would not lie to anyone who asked. She did have an addiction with anatomy, with blood and guts.

It wasn't that she was going to eat them. No, she wouldn't go that far. She never tried to eat any of her past victims. What gave her the high was just the mere sight of it. But touching it...yeah that gave her a stronger euphoric feeling, enough that sometimes her body would shudder. She didn't know how or why the sight of gore gave her a drug high, but she didn't care. She loved this feeling and she would do what it takes to feel like that whenever she wanted to.

Ever since Snap came to her, she had wanted to see his insides. She wanted to cut him open and see what he looked like behind that skin. She had to hold off. She forced herself to remain calm around him. It was hard interacting with him, especially when she got close enough to touch him. She really wanted to rip him apart to get that high feeling. It wasn't just Sol she had problems controlling herself with. The same thing applied to Snap. She had to remind herself that he needed to stay alive for a little while longer. She would have her chance to explore him more thoroughly. Yes, the time would come.

For now, she had to settle with just cutting his arm and watching Sol slice into him. She got a chance to cut him again but only to cut up his vocal cords so he was unable to talk. That didn't give her too much of a drug high, but it did hold her off a little. It was the only chance she got to see something other than just blood. It was nothing more than a teaser to her, and she couldn't wait until she started going in deeper.

And finally, she was going to get that chance. She had marked the location of the incision with an orange-colored disinfectant. She made sure to put a doctor's mask over her face, covering her mouth. She didn't wear any gloves, though. She didn't see the point. Snap was going to die soon anyway. Who cared if he got an infection?

The drugged Snap still managed a few whimpers and whines, but otherwise couldn't really do anything. He stared up at her in fear. The sight of those frightened eyes..It had to effects on her. Two very different effects.

The first one, it did bring about a sense of guilt. That one part of her that knows what she's doing is wrong would nag at her, tell her to stop. That part of her hated what she had become, and there were times when she did want to stop and go get help. An addiction to anything can be dangerous, and because hers is to anatomy, she had become a threat to everyone around her.

But the other one beat out that guilt. The other effect neutralized the sense of guilt, not allowing her conscience to take over. It made her decide to ignore the guilt and continue on with what she was doing. And that effect was elation, excitement. Snap staring at her like this made her more excited to cut him open. She loved when her victims looked at her like this. It showed that she was in complete control over their fate. They could do nothing to stop her as she tore them apart from the inside.

All she had to do was wait for Sol. He would be back any minute. She hoped he would hurry it up. She didn't want to be waiting too long. The disinfectant wouldn't last forever. Neither would the shot she gave him. She didn't want to have to use them on him again. She stared down at Snap. She really wanted to start cutting into him now. He was so vulnerable, so...exposed... Her hands shook once with anticipation, her eyes widening slightly. She had never been this excited to cut someone open before.

She would do the same thing to Rudy and Penny. She was interested in human anatomy. She wanted to know just how similar and different their anatomy was compared to a zoner. But it came with too many risks. Their blood was almost like acid in ChalkZone. It would start to dissolve anything made of chalk, and since this was ChalkZone, everything would dissolve. Well, no matter, she could always just take them into the real world and vivisect them there, use real world tools. Yeah, that just might be what she'll do. And their blood would make a fine torture device for her future victims.

And after she took care of them, she would set her sights on Sol. The little fool has no idea what's in store for him. She had him believe that as long as he did what he was told, she wouldn't hurt him. But once he fulfills his end of the deal and expose ChalkZone, she would get rid of him. She would subject him to a vivisection right away. And unlike Boorat and Snap, she wouldn't muzzle him. She wanted to hear his cries of pain as he realizes that he had been fooled.

Her anatomy addiction made it hard for her not to cut Sol up whenever he got close to her. And waiting to cut into Snap more deeply made her feel a little...impatient. So she had to do something in the meantime. Something that would satisfy her drug craving but wouldn't end up killing Snap or Sol. And she had found the perfect victim in Boorat.

Playing with Boorat had been a lot of fun. She had muzzled him because she wanted to see how well the muzzle actually worked. She was pleased that it did. The only thing that rat could emit during the whole procedure was whimpers and cries. She had known him to be a tough zoner, in the short time that they've met. It was fun reducing him to tears like that. If he weren't muzzled, he probably would have been begging for his life. Those eyes of his stared up at her pleadingly the whole time, increasing her excitement.

It was hard getting his ribcage open. She had to resort to using an electric saw. But once she got it open, the rest followed suit. His internal organs were fantastic. Definitely some fine specimens. She took some of his organs out to store them in jars, like she usually did with all her past victims. Boorat was screaming..well trying to anyway, during the whole process. When he was able to move again, he started banging his limbs against the table, only for the blood loss he was suffering to make him slow down.

She took her time exploring him. She wanted to satisfy her drug high as best as she could. She wanted to make sure she could hold off on doing a vivisection on Snap until it was time to actually do it. She continued moving her hands around inside Boorat, checking the size and state of each organ and then choosing a few to take out. Eventually, Boorat could not handle it anymore, and he passed quietly on the table, letting out nothing more than a mere whimper as his death cry.

She didn't bother cleaning up the mess. She usually would, but she made an exception in this case. She can clean up his mess later on. It wasn't like there was anyone else here besides her and Sol. And soon it would just be her again once she got rid of the annoying little Snip.

Vice heard the sound of the door opening. At last, Sol finally decided to return. He shut the door behind him and he calm walking towards her. She noted the way he walked, imagining the muscles behind that movement. She shook the thought out of her mind, not allowing her addiction to make her lose control. Not now. It can wait.

"So, what took you?" Vice asked softly.

Sol stopped a couple feet away. "I came over as quickly as I could. But some zoners stopped me and asked me about...oh nevermind! At least I'm here now." He turned his attention to Snap. The sight of him helpless and bound made Sol smile. "When are we going to get started?"

"You are going to be handing me the tools. This is a surgery. You don't have enough knowledge of anatomy to be of much use to me here." Vice said. She noted the glare on Sol's face. He looked so disappointed. "However, if you wish to do something to Snap, you can inject him with this."

Vice took out a needle. There was a yellowish liquid sloshing around inside the clear plastic cylinder. She stared at it for a moment, then she gave it to Sol. He took it from her hands and looked at it curiously. He looked up at her, his eyes clearly indicating he wanted to know what the stuff was.

Vice said, "It will keep him awake during the whole surgery. Inject it into his stomach." She moved towards Snap. She pressed the tip of a hoof finger in a particular spot. "Right here. This stuff works the best when it's injected here."

Sol grinned evilly as he stared at Snap. The white zoner trembled and whimpered in fear. Sol walked over, looking intently at the place that Vice had indicated. He pressed the needle against the skin and slowly pushed it in. Snap's eyes shut tightly and his teeth were slightly bared as he tried to cope with the painful pinch. The liquid was pushed inside of him. Only when it was all the way out did Sol pull the needle away.

Vice ran her hand along Snap's left arm, carefully avoiding the areas she had sliced up. "If you thought that was painful, honey..." Vice's grin broadened. "Just wait until the surgery begins..."

At this, Snap's muffled whimpers increased in volume. She could have sworn she heard him try to say 'No' despite not having working vocal cords. The little guy really was desperate to get out. He did want to go home. Her smile remained on her face, her eyes brightened slightly. And that is what made this so much fun. And besides, he'll return home all right. In pieces.

Vice waited a little bit before she started. She watched Snap, noting his somewhat increased alertness. His eyes widened as the effect of the drug took hold. She placed a hand firmly on his chest to feel his heart rate. It had increased a little. Good. That was the effect she wanted. This drug would keep his heart from slowing down past a certain point, which would prevent him from passing out. She didn't want him passing out during this. She wanted him to feel the whole thing.

She stood on Snap's left side, positioning in the right location. She motioned for Sol, who was now wearing a doctor's mask as well, to get into positon. The Snip went over to the tray and pulled it closer towards her. He stood next to her, chuckling evilly at Snap as he picked up the first instrument. One of the smaller, but very sharp, scalpels. She took the instrument from his hands and moved her hands down towards Snap.

She pressed one hoof hand against his stomach, right on the dotted line she had marked on him. She felt his body shake harder as she brought the scalpel over to the skin. This was it. This was the moment she had been waiting for. Finally, she would get to see at least some of his guts before it was time for the vivisection. This would make for a lovely preview.

In went the scalpel. Loud whimpers emitted from Snap, his eyes bulging open. His heart rate must be quickening, she would imagine. She pushed the knife in deep enough and then she started to cut across. The skin came apart easily. Skin was always so frail. She didn't stop cutting until there was a deep gash straight across his stomach, a little below his chest. To make things easier, she had previously removed the metal band across his stomach as it would have gotten in the way of this. Blood started to leak out of the fresh new wound.

The sight of it sent some shivers down her spine, making her start to feel euphoric. She paused only for a brief moment, savoring the brief but wonderful sensation. She then gestured for Sol to give her a couple of metal pins. When he handed a few over, Vice lowered herself a little. She began to pull the skin apart, widening the opening. She could see glimpses of red and pink, but did her best to focus on securing the pins in place. She heard Snap let out loud, muffled cries as each pin was inserted. Soon the hole was dilated as far as she could make it go. She leaned a little closer to take a look.

She could see a part of his ribcage. Not much, just the bottom of it. At most two ribs. She could see a few of his organs. A portion of his stomach, some of his pancreas, even a bit of his liver. And of course, she could see his kidneys, the one on the right being a tad lower and easier to get. That would be the one she'd take.

She had to pause for a moment as a tingling sensation went through the back of her head and neck again. That euphoric feeling was getting stronger, making her feel higher. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of the anatomy laid out before her. Unable to hold herself back completely, she reached over and, very gently, stroked along the organs, feeling how soft and slippery they were. Snap cried hard at this, tears flowing from his eyes. She pulled her hand back and turned to Sol for another instrument. A small knife.

As he handed her the instrument, Sol moved a little closer to Snap's head. He lowered himself and began to whisper into his ear. "You know, this game is pretty fun. You friends don't suspect anything. And by the time they do, it will be too late. And you know the best part, Snap?" He leaned in a little closer, his hot breath hitting the side of Snap's head. He said in a lower, harsher voice, "They think I'm you." Snap whined at this.

Vice stopped and looked down at Snap. She smiled, even though he couldn't really see it. She reached down and stroked his forehead a little. "It's okay, honey. You aren't going to die from this. Relax. Shhh..." She turned her attention back to his exposed insides.

Vice moved her hand back inside of him. She pushed her hand in as deep as necessary, her mind swirling with euphoric thoughts as she touched the organs. She soon wrapped her hooves around the organ she wanted, his right kidney. She pulled it out slowly, carefully, easing it out from under his ribcage. She brought over the knife and began to cut away at any connection it still had with the body, including any blood vessels that were attached to it.

Once the organ was free and properly disconnected, she lifted it up in her hand. She stared at it, a psychotic smile spreading across her face. She put the knife down and stroked the top of the organ a few times, her euphoria increasing. She looked down at Snap, who was staring up at her in shere horror. She held out his kidney close to his face, moving it back and forth. Snap sobbed at this.

Vice took the organ over to her cabinent. She opened it op and looked for a properly sized jar. Filling it up with special fluid to keep the organ preserved, she dropped it in there. She delighted in how it wobbled up and down a few times before settling in one place. She grinned at it as she screwed the lid on tightly. She made sure she labeled it so she would remember who the kidney once belonged to. She then put it in the cabinent, next to other organs she had taken over the years.

She returned to Snap's side. There was a lot of blood leaking out, pouring out of the wound and into the rest of the body. Some of it began to leak over the edge of the hole and onto Snap's stomach and on the operating table. Not wanting to Snap to die just yet, Vice went to work to stop the bleeding, at least the most severe of it.

She grabbed some smaller pins, not bothering to ask Sol for them. She reached back inside Snap and pinched the two somewhat thick blood vessels that once fed the kidney. She kept her fingers on the vessels for a few minutes, making sure that the blood clotted. She then applied the small pins to them. They wouldn't really bother Snap, at least not with how little time he had left. She waited to make sure the blood stopped flowing out, and then she got to work closing him up.

She removed the pins. Each one made Snap make a muffled cry. She didn't stop yanking them out until she got all of them. She set them down on the tray. She pushed the skin back together. Sol handed her a needle and surgical thread. She began to stitch him closed. In and out the needle went, going from one side all the way to the other. And in a matter of minutes, the wound was completely closed. She removed the needle and secured the end of the thread, holding the stitching in place.

Once the stitching was complete, she went over to Snap's head. She could see his eyes where shut very tightly. His teeth were bared and clenching. His chest was rising and falling at a rapid pace, a clear sign that he was hyperventilating. His face was reddened with tears. They continued to flow down his face. He was in absolute agony. If she hadn't had Sol inject him with that drug, he would have passed out long before this. She reached down and stroked the side of his cheek.

He opened his eyes and looked up at her. She could see a silent question of 'why?' shining in those eyes, making her grin broader. She continued to stroke his cheek, taking notice of how terrified he looked of her now. His body shook as hard as it could while he was still under the tranquilizer's effects. She couldn't see any amount of anger or defiance left in him. This was exactly the effect she wanted out of him.

"It seems your spirit has been completely crushed." Vice said. "Good... Since you won't be alive for much longer, you aren't going to need it."

"That's it?" Sol sounded disappointed. "I was hoping it would be a little longer."

Vice glared at him. "A little too long would have killed him. And it's not the time yet for him to expire." She turned her attention back down to Snap. "I want to do a vivisection on him later. Hard to do that if he's dead."

"Can I watch that?" Sol asked eagerly. "Or better yet, participate?"

"No. You will be busy taking care of Rudy and Penny." Vice stared at Sol. "If your next attempt fails, trap them. Injure them, but do not kill them. I have my own plans for them. Understood?" Sol nodded his head affirmatively. "Good. Now bring me that needle over there."

Sol grabbed a needle filled with something blue. "You mean this?"

"Yes, bring it over." Vice said. Sol did what he was told. She took the needle from him and turned her attention back to Snap. "The surgery is over, sweetheart. You've been a good boy. Now it is time for you to rest."

She lowered herself and she placed a kiss on his forehead. Having her fill of her drug high and feeling satisfied, she pushed the needle into Snap's shoulder. She pushed it into him until all the blue liquid was injected. She pulled the needle away and discarded it. She smiled down at Snap, watching as the drug took affect.

"Have a nice nap, my dear sweet child." Vice said, stroking the top of Snap's head as his eyes started to close. She lowered her head and whispered into his working ear. "Sweet dreams..."


	14. Disturbing Desire

When Snap woke up, the first thing he was aware of was pain. Oh so much pain... Almost every corner of his body was practically crying out in distress. His grogginess only lasted a few seconds. He was almost instantly brought into alertness as the pain quickly registered in his head. The stuff that Vice had given him did little to make him feel rested; it only put him out for a short time. Maybe at most two hours.

He couldn't move to look around. But judging from what the ceiling looked like, he guessed he was back in his cage. He had no idea how long he was going to be laying here. He did know he didn't have much time left. He could feel his body weakening already, amplified by the fever and aches he was getting from the sickness.

What he had experienced was unspeakable, unbearable. He couldn't believe she would put him through that. He was already weak and injured. Did she really have to hurt him more? What was the point? It wasn't like he could go anywhere in his current state before. Oh, that's right. She wanted to crush his spirit, the monster. She wanted him to be devoid of all resistance, any desire to fight back...

...and it had worked. Snap couldn't work up much courage at all. And it was now very hard for him to remain hopeful that he would be found in time. His friends were continuously fooled by the Snip. And that part nagging at him that his friends didn't care or were too stupid to realize the truth was getting stronger. In his weakened state, it was becoming harder to fight back those thoughts. Oh he tried, how he tried. But as time went on, seconds ticking away and the pain overwhelming him, it was starting to look completely hopeless for him.

The pain just kept getting added on. He was constantly fed rotten food and dirty water. His sickness was getting worse. How long did he have left? It all depended on when Vice decided to finish him off. A part of him welcomed death. He wanted to be free of this pain so badly that he would kind of wished Vice did kill him. There were things worse than death, and this was one of them. Being kept weak, barely able to move, being operated on while awake... But he knew that when she did come to kill him, it would not be a quick, painless death. She would make it hurt as much as possible. A tear strolled down his cheek at the thought of having to endure something worse than that...that surgery...

It was the most frightening experience of his life. And definitely, by far, the most painful. He kept wanting to try to break himself free and get out of there. He wanted to struggle. He wanted to scream. He wanted to fight back. But the drug he was given weakened him to the point where he could barely move. He could tremble, but only weakly and it wasn't like that was going to do him much good.

The pain from her cutting him open and pushing her hand into him easily overshadowed all of the other pain he felt at the time. The pain from his other unjuries practically dulled when his stomach was sliced into. The pain was intense. If he weren't muzzled, he would have been screaming. The only thing he could manage with that tight muzzle on him was loud whimpers and cries. Just merely touching his internal organs was very painful. The way she just stroked them like that, it creeped him out. He had no idea why she would do something like that. He was certain he was going to get an infection from it.

The muzzle was painful as well. It was strapped on very tight on him. His teeth were clenching against each other so hard, he thought they were going to break apart. He kept trying to push his jaws apart even just a little, to provide a little relief to his teeth. Nothing worked, and with the pain from the operation clouding his mind, he ended up clenching his teeth even tighter, hurting his jaws even more. And the thought of having to wear that thing again... He hoped she would at least not make it as tight.

It was hard to think of anything while the operation was going on. It didn't last that long, ultimately. Maybe twenty minutes to half an hour. To him, however, it felt so much longer. The whole time, from when she made the first incision to when she knocked him out, he was in absolute agony. His stomach felt like it was on fire. It hurt the most when she stuck her hand inside of him and took out his kidney. He winced as he recalled her slicing the kidney away from his body. And the way she just stuck it in his face like that, showing him what she had done, it left a deep psychological mark in him. He knew that scar would not go away anytime soon.

He had caught a glimpse of her expression a few times during the operation. In the swirling haze of pain that clouded his mind, he was able to register a few things. And one thing he noticed about Vice...he didn't like. She seemed a little too...happy during the whole thing. And not in a sadistic 'I enjoy causing you pain' kind of way. There was something different about this happiness. It was hard to describe, but it left him with an unsettling feeling in his stomach. He wondered if that had anything to do with why she stroked his organs like that.

He had an idea of what it was, and the thought frightened him. Did she get some kind of...euphoric sensation from the mere sight of organs? Yeah, that had to be it. Why else would she looked a little too excited to see his insides? Why else would she stroke his organs like that? This doctor, this monster...she was more insane than he had thought. He...he really wanted to get out of here...

And he knew that the worst hadn't come yet. The vivisection... It was going to be worse. And it wasn't only the dying part that had him worried. It was how slow and deliberate it was going to be. Vice was most likely going to make sure he stayed awake during the whole thing and would prolong his suffering for as long as possible. She wouldn't let him pass out during her operation on him. He doubted she would let him do so when she vivisected him.

Thoughts of her yanking out his organs and showing them to her made his body shudder in fear. He let out a few low cries, tears screaming down his face. If he could sleep, he was certain he was going to dream of something like this. The pain was going to be worse than the operation. It was going to be longer, he was certain, and she was going to do more than just take out a single organ. She would take them all out, one by one. Or maybe she would cut some of them up while it was still attached inside his body. The pain would be unbearable.

His friends...they were going to get vivisected as well. This caused panic to rise up inside of him. Normally, he would run over to Rudy and tell him what was going on. Trapped here, the energy that surged through him couldn't really do anything. His legs twitched a little in anticipation of running. But as he was, there was no way he could do anything.

It horrified him that his friends were going to suffer the same fate as him. And he couldn't do anything to warn them either. They were fooled by Sol. That creepazoid was going to lead them into a trap. He was going to drag them off to 'visit' Vice, where they will never leave again. She would do the same things to them. Cut them up, torture them, butcher their arms and legs...and then she'd do a vivisection on them. This was all guesswork, but based on what he had seen of her, he couldn't doubt this is what would happen.

It was hard to believe that, only just a few days ago, everything was fine. There was no sign of trouble. Nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing suspicious. It was just the usual stuff. Having fun, exploring, having adventures with Rudy and Penny. Skrawl hadn't been doing anything lately, leaving more time to have a blast with his friends. He had even recently gone to a dance with Rapsheeba and had a lot of fun.

How things can change so quickly... Now here he was, practically on his deathbed. His body erupted in pain from so many places, it was hard to tell what hurt him the most. He couldn't move that well. He was too cut up and weak to do anything. He couldn't stop crying. The pain was just too much. And it wasn't going away anytime soon. He was so tired, but he was unable to fall asleep with the pain he was feeling. He had tried to, but his brain refused to let him sleep, and at times a shockwave of pain would suddenly strike him, keeping him fully awake. And he was feeling so sick. That combined with the pain made every second awake unbearable.

All he wanted to do was lay down on a nice warm bed. He wanted the pain to go away so he could get some sleep. He wanted to get some rest, and some decent food and water. He wanted to go home. He wanted to feel safe again. He wanted to see his friends. Despite his waning hope, he still wanted to see them, at least one more time before he...

No, he couldn't think like that. It was hard not to, though. It was growing more and more hopeless by the second. And by this point, even if his friends did find him, could they even help him? He didn't think he could stand going to a hospital after this. He was certain he was going to panic as soon as he set foot into any hospital. But without going to a hospital, how would his wounds be treated? What could his friends do to help him feel better? Would they even find him on time? What if they did find him but it was too late to do anything?

As much as he didn't want to admit it, he was running out of time. There was a chance he was not going to get out of here. A very strong one that grew, no, intensified each passing second. His body was growing weaker. He could feel himself losing strength. The lack of proper food and water was getting to him. The water did at least keep him hydrated, though. But the food...with it being rotten, he wasn't getting any good nutrients from it. All it did do was add to the sickness, and the sickness itself was sapping away more of his strength.

When he heard the cage door open, his first instinct was to lift up his head to see which of his captors were coming in to greet him. The pain in the middle of his underside made this impossible. Trying to sit up pushed against the wound, sending a wave of agony through his body. So instead, all he could do was just lay there until the captor came close enough into view so he could see them.

It was Vice. He could immediately tell it was her when he managed to catch black and a long snout. Her being taller than him and Sol also helped to give her away. And that twisted horn of hers...he could recognize it instantly in the shadows.

The sight of Vice made him shiver. Low whimpers emitted from his mouth, intermixing with his sobbing. He wished she would just leave him alone. Why can't she leave him alone? He just wanted some solitude. Some peace. She had done enough to him already. Why did she feel the need to torment him some more? Flashes of her sadistic smiling as she held his kidney out to him plagued his mind. With the muzzle long gone, he let out a low, weak cry as she got closer to him.

Vice knelt down beside him. She reached down with her hand. He wanted to growl at her. He wanted to bite her. But the memory of what she had done to him not so long ago kept him complient. He offered no resistance as she ran her hand along the top of his head. He just stared up at her fearfully, silently begging her not to hurt him more. His lower lip quivered, tears staining his cheeks.

The unicorn gave a chuckle. She traced the tears from his face. "You were such a good sport, Snap. See? It wasn't that bad." She returned to stroking his head. She gently caressed it. "The vivisection will be ten times worse than that..if not more. Trust me. I vivisected enough zoners to know that."

Snap made a weak attempt to shake his head in protest. He could only manage to move just a little bit. Not enough to really be called shaking. His eyes stared into hers. His body trembled hard. His cries increased. He wanted to get away somehow. He wanted so much to fight back. Even just a simple growl...yet he couldn't birng himself to even do that.

He felt Vice move her hand down to his cheek. She caressed it softly. She moved her thumb over his lips, knowing full well he wouldn't try to bite her now. Not that he could, with the weakness that was sweeping through his body. He shuddered as she played with his lips for a bit. It made him wonder why she was doing that. Was she anticipating in cutting them off? Was it merely a demonstration on how much control she had over him? Whatever the reason, the act frightened him and he wanted to turn away. He wanted her to stop.

"I must say, the sight of your organs did give me more of a drug high than I would have imagined." Vice said. Noting Snap's somewhat confused expression, she smirked at him. "I have an addiction to anatomy. I will not lie. I like seeing blood and organs and bones from a living victim. I like to touch them, squeeze them, examine them, stroke them. There's just something about living anatomy that gives me a strong sense of euphoria. And what I did to you was a nice preview for myself of what is about to come." Her grin widened. "I can't wait to see what the rest of your insides look like..."

At this, Snap let out a low cry. His body shivered even harder. He managed to shake his head a little in protest. He looked up at her in fear, his eyes shining with silent pleading. If he could talk, he would be begging her not to do it.

The realization that she got off on this, a drug high, what he had expected before, it horrified him. This was a deadly addiction she had. Bizarre, but still dangerous. If this were anything like a cocaine addiction, then she was going to have a very hard time stopping herself, even if she wanted to. It meant that she was going to do a lot of cruel and unnecessary stuff to him during the vivisection, all in the name of getting that drug high...

He whimpered loudly as Vice took him into her arms and cradled him. He didn't try to resist. He remained submissive, just like she had predicted he would. She lowered herself to the ground, keeping Snap in her arms. She held him up with one arm and then scratched his chin gently with her other hand like he were a cat.

"Feeding time." Vice said. "I trust, with your spirit broken, you will be much easier to feed now."

With that, Vice picked up a small piece of rotten meat. It was blackened, with some deep purple. Snap could have sworn he saw flies around it. She moved it over towards his face. The horrible smell filled his nostrils, making him grimace slightly and want to throw up. She placed it lightly against his mouth and stared at him expectantly. Normally Snap would try to turn his head or keep his mouth shut tightly. His stomach ached and twisted just at the mere sight of this rotten thing. But with a shattered spirit and lingering hope that was starting to fade, Snap did not resist.

Although weak and not able to move much, Snap still opened his mouth and allowed Vice to drop it in there. He fought off the feelings of nausea as he willingly, though not happy about it, ate the rotten food. Vice was right when she said he would become more complient. He couldn't help it. He..he didn't want to get hurt again. He had gotten a taste of what she was capable of doing. If being complient meant less pain... As much as he hated it, he went along with it.

Vice continued to feed him more of the rotten meat. Snap felt sicker every time he ate the pieces. He really wanted to resist. He wanted to turn his head away. But if he did, he might get hurt... And Vice could just shove it down his throat like she had before, and he nearly choked every time. His throat felt like it was on fire every time he swallowed. The food irritated the injuries his throat had sustained, and he started to cry.

Then, after she was done giving him the bit of food, she then took out a glass of dirty water. It was absolutely filthy. There were dirt particles and whatever else swimming in it. And it would taste almost as nasty as the rotten meat he was forced to ingest. The only thing good about the water is that it kept him hydrated at least, prolonging his life a little longer, which would buy his friends more time to find him. The chances of them finding him before it was too late was slim, though. And he could feel his hope wane even more. Perhaps he really wasn't going to leave here alive.

Snap felt Vice raise his head a little. She put the glass against his mouth, between his lips. Snap opened his mouth a little and let Vice pour the water in. As disgusting as it tasted, he forced himself to swallow. He stifled yelps of pain as the water washed against his damaged throat. His body stiffened every time food or water touched that area of his throat, causing hot tears of pain to stream down his face. But there was no way he could resist. Even if he did try, she could just force him to eat and drink this stuff. There was no way out.

After Snap drank the rest of the water, he let out a few pained coughs. Vice set the glass on the ground and smiled down at him. She stroked the top of his head. He turned his eyes up at her, whimpering in fear. He hoped that, after this, she would leave him alone for a while. She already fed him. Usually she leaves him alone for a while after this. He looked forward to having some more time to himself. He wanted to be alone. He would rather be alone than be stuck with Sol or Vice. Their taunts, the way they treat him, the pain they caused him, it gave him no peace of mind while they were around.

As she continued to cradle him, he realized that, this time, she was not going to let him go. Not yet. She stared down at him. That twisted smile sent chills down his spine. And her eyes...he wanted to tear away from them. He was unable to move his head and he couldn't close his eyes. Fear was preventing that. Her eyes seemed to almost drill through his.

Her eyes moved down and stared at his chest. He realized, with a fright, she was looking straight at the stitched area, where she had cut him open before. He watched as she lifted up her hand and stroked gently along the cut. The action sent waves of pain through his body. He let out a yelp and his body twitched in a desperate attempt to get away. She continued to rub it lightly, watching in twisted delight as tears streamed down his face.

Then she removed her hand. Snap let out a huge sigh of relief, taking in a few quick breaths. His wide eyes stared up at her. He wanted to ask her why she did that. It wasn't time for his vivisection yet, and she did say she didn't want him dying yet. Why would she do something that could risk further damage too quickly? And why would she cause him more pain if she already succeeded in breaking him?

Just to be cruel, he was certain... Vice was a complete monster. She had no empathy. No sympathy, no mercy. No nothing. This was all just a game to her. A game where she gets 'high' as she puts it, while others suffer. It wasn't just organs that she seemed to get off on. It was also the sight of someone in pain. His tears brought her joy. Sickening...

"Skin is so fragile." Vice said in a calm voice. She stared intently at the stitched area on his chest. She ran the tips of her fingers down his side gently, where there were no wounds. "It doesn't take much to cut it, rip it open." She pulled her hand away. "Wouldn't you agree, Snap?"

Snap let out a low whine. He wasn't liking where this was going. His heart rate was speeding up. He watched Vice's hand carefully. What was she going to do thim? Why was she talking about how frail skin was? Was she going to cut him again, already?

So far, much to his relief, she didn't try to hurt him like that again. Instead, she just caressed his cheek. An unwanted gesture, but it was still better than her stabbing him. Feeling her hand against his face sent shudders down his spine. He hated being treated like a pet. He hated being touched by her. He had no choice in matter, though. He was helpless.

"I must say, Snap, I never felt skin as nice as yours. Maybe after I'm done vivisecting you, I'll do something with it." Vice said, her twisted smile broadening. "Maybe make something out of it."

Snap's eyes shot open at this. He let out a few low cries in protest. Cold ice shot through his veins. No..she couldn't do that. He wasn't some wild animal waiting to be skinned... No... Was...was that why she kept touching his lips? Was she fantasizing about...about skinning him? He began to cry harder at the realization. He looked up at her with wide, pleading eyes. She did nothing but smile back at him, looking almost amused by his attempts to beg.

He couldn't believe this. Just when he thought she couldn't get any worse, something else happens that proves him wrong. Vice just keeps becoming more and more of a monster the longer she talks to him. She has revealed parts of her personality that he wished he hadn't known. He wished he didn't know about her addiction to organs. He wished he didn't know about her plans to vivisect him. He wished he didn't know that she wanted to skin him after he was dead.

He..he just wished he was home. That's all he wanted. Was that so wrong? He just wanted to lay down in his bed and go to sleep. He wanted go home... He just wanted to go home...

"I know you are scared, sweetie." Vice said, stroking his cheek some more. "But it will be fine. You'll see. Everything will be fine. Just relax and calm down." She moved her hand onto his chest. She let out a hmph sound and said, "Again with the speeding heart. Honey, I told you to relax. Calm down. Shhhh..." She moved her hand over his forehead and towards the back of his head. "You will be fine. Soon you won't feel any pain anymore."

Snap let out a cry of fear at this, as loud as he could make it without hurting his throat too much. He shook harder, his eyes locked on hers. He felt his heart race even faster. He knew what kind of death he was going to have. He...he didn't want it... He didn't to be vivisected. Why couldn't she leave him alone? Why did she want to make him suffer? He..he didn't do anything to deserve this kind of fate...

Vice then climbed up to her feet, still carrying Snap in her arms. "Since you are done eating and drinking, I think it's time we enjoyed the show some more, don't you think?" She let out a dark chuckle. "Let's watch Sol's final attempt, and see if he succeeds in exposing ChalkZone. Don't you think that will be fun to watch?"

Snap did not answer. He just whimpered and cried. He could do nothing as Vice carried him over towards the chair, noting that the television screen was brought back. Already there was a picture. Sol was walking in ChalkZone City, but he couldn't tell if he was by himself or with someone.

Vice pulled the chair a little to the side, positioning it directly in front of the television set. She sat down in the chair and leaned back. She laid Snap on him, positioning him in a way that let him see the screen easily. Snap cried as he was forced to lay against her. He did not growl. He wanted to, but he was so afraid now, more than he has ever been when he came here. And as Vice stroked the top of his head like he were a pet, he just laid there submissively.

Vice grinned at this. "I knew you were going to submit to me eventually, Snap. It was just a matter of knowing...how to break you..." Snap cried a little louder at this. She turned her head to the screen. "Now...let's watch this, shall we?"


	15. Beast Revealing

Sol stood around the location of the school portal. He crossed his arms, tapped his foot, and looked up, waiting for that portal to be drawn. He had gotten here early so he could begin as soon as possible. All he had to do was get Rudy and Penny to run in a different direction. Perhaps tell them some place was on fire or something. Anything to get them out of the way. Then he could make his move and crawl through the portal and try to reveal himself to any human. Do a little exploring and what not.

He wasn't going to go too far. He couldn't afford to lose his way in the real world. He could starve or dehydrate to death, or he could get killed by real world liquid. So he had to be careful. His best bet was staying around the school. After he managed to expose himself to a human, convince them that he was from the chalk world, he would then bring them to the portal and take them into ChalkZone for a little bit. Then he would let them go and have them tell their friends, family, whatever. He may even be able to give them a piece of magic chalk so they could get back into ChalkZone at any time.

It wasn't going to be as easy to pull off, but he was still willing to do it. He really wanted to see justice brought to ChalkZone for the way they treated the Snips. He wanted to see Snap suffer. He wanted to see Rudy pay. He wanted to slowly kill Penny right in front of them, just to hurt them more mentally. He really wanted to move this plan forward. It would work. He knew it would. All he had to do was wait for Rudy and Penny to come in today.

He stood there for a while. He frowned, tapping his foot more impatiently. He paced back and forth, occassionally looking up at the portal. Where were those little brats? Why haven't they showed up yet? He was certain he had gotten the right time. Right about now would be when those two would show up. It should be right about recess where they are now, shouldn't it? It was weird that they haven't showed up yet.

More time passed, and he began to grow confused. He sat down on the ground and folded his arms tightly against his chest. He was not very happy about this. Why weren't they coming into ChalkZone? He needed to go through with this plan. He couldn't get started if those two won't even begin the first step, which is create a portal. Just what were they doing up there? Chatting away about what 'fun' they might have when they get here? He rolled his eyes at the thought.

Words couldn't describe how irritating it was to him to listen to Rudy talk. Every time that stupid kid opened his mouth, he would get a feeling of anger welling up inside. The kid might believe he is a bringer of justice and tries to be fair, but what about the Snips? He shipped them all off to another planet. Yeah, some fairness that is.

Well that would change at some point. He would do something for all the Snips. He was going to free them. He would liberate them from that wretched planet, and he would assert himself as their leader. He would help the humans take over ChalkZone, and put it under their iron rule. And he was going to be so amused to see the zoners suffer. It would be the ultimate payback. They would feel sorry for everything they've done to the Snips.

And he would get his revenge on Rudy. He wished he could kill him when it was time to trap him, but Vice said no. He couldn't kill Penny either, which was a shame. He had looked forward to slaughtering her in front of Rudy and Snap. Oh well. Maybe she wouldn't mind if he still played with Penny for a bit. Maybe cut up one of her limbs, a way of satisfying his want and need of hurting her. As long as he doesn't kill her, Vice likely wouldn't mind so much. He pressed his hand against his chest. He had brought along a knife with him just in case this plan was a success. It was attached to the necklace that held his amulet.

Maybe Vice will let him join in with whatever she had planned for Rudy and Penny. Maybe she will let him torture them for a bit. He was disappointed that she didn't let him hurt Snap some more with that scalpel. He hoped that she would be willing to let him at least toy with Rudy for a bit. He could promise her that he won't go nuts like he had with Snap and won't inflict any devasting wounds on the boy. It wasn't like he cared about killing Rudy quickly anyway. No, he wanted it to be slow and painful.

After some more time passed, the Snip growled to himself. Recess was probably half way over by now. What was keeping those two? His fists clenched tightly and he shook in anger. They better not wait up there the whole time. They better draw that dang portal so he can proceed with his plan. He wasn't going to be able to start the plan until they open that portal.

He stared down at a rock sitting next to him. He narrowed his eyes and growled softly. Baring his teeth, he pulled his foot back and kicked the rock hard. Anger was rising up inside of him and he was having a hard time controlling it. Where were those two brats? What's taking them so long? He shot a glare up at the empty space in the air. If they don't get down here soon, he swore he would...

...well he couldn't think of exactly what he could do that wouldn't give him away. But one thing was for certain. It wasn't going to be very pretty.

sss

Rudy couldn't believe what had happened to him and Penny. He glared at the chalkboard, wanting to draw a portal and escape into ChalkZone. But there was nothing he could do about it. He and Penny were stuck in the classroom with Mr. Wilter watching them. The other students had gone outside to play, but they were stuck in here, unable to leave or do anything.

He was glad that at least Reggie also got punished for this. It was mostly his fault this happened anyway. Yeah, he helped a little, but Reggie was the cause of most of what had happened. And right now, Rudy was so angry, he could barely even remember what happened. Something causing a mess or something, and then Penny got in trouble... It was a confusing disaster, and the end result was that he and Penny could not get into ChalkZone.

He felt bad. Snap was probably expecting him to come into ChalkZone right now with Penny. There was nothing he could do about it. He was stuck here, serving a recess detention, all because of Reggie. He let out a soft sigh of frustration. He wished there was something he could do to sneak away into ChalkZone. Mr. Wilter, however, would prevent that from happening. He was there, sitting at his desk, and he would notice if Rudy tried to up to the chalkboard. And Reggie was there, too. He would see him.

Rudy looked up at the clock. He watched as the second hand kept moving around. Recess was more than halfway over by now. He bit his lip. He felt really bad for not being able to go into ChalkZone. He hated disappointing his friend. He knows that Snap would understand why he wasn't able to come in right now. But he would still feel bad for how upset he might be making him right now. He wished there was something he could do.

He felt someone tap his shoulder. He lifted his head and looked. He quickly saw it was Penny. She looked at him with concern. She could tell that he was upset. She knew him well enough. There was no way he could hide the fact he was antsy from her.

"Snap would understand why we can't come in right now." Penny said in a low voice, making sure that Reggie and Mr. Wilter can't hear her. "He won't be angry when we come in after school. You'll see."

Rudy nodded his head. "Yeah, I know you're right. I just...still feel bad."

Penny furrowed her eyes with concern. She looked down at his bag he had with him. "Why don't you use your portable chalkboard?"

Rudy looked at her like she was nuts. Did she realize how big of a risk that was with so few people in here? Both Reggie and Mr. Wilter were quiet. If he opened up a portal into ChalkZone, even if Snap was quiet, a random zoner not knowing about the portal's location could draw their attention. Not to mention not all the lights were turned on in this room, giving it a slightly dull lighting. The bright light of ChalkZone would definitely catch their eye.

"No, that is too risky. Mr. Wilter would hear..." Rudy said softly.

Penny tilted her head in confusion. Then realization seemed to hit her. She shook her head a few times. "No, no Rudy...I didn't mean that!" She leaned in a little closer. "I meant, draw a note for Snap. Tell him that we're going to be late. That way, he'll know not to expect us through the portal right now."

Rudy couldn't believe he hadn't thought of that before. Why hadn't he thought of writing a note to Snap? Maybe it was because he was too upset with what happened, finding it hard to believe that it did happen, that it just didn't cross his mind.

"Oh yeah...that'll work!" Rudy said. "Thanks Penny!" She smiled back and watched as Rudy got out his portable chalkboard. "I'll make a quick note to him. Hopefully Mr. Wilter and Reggie won't see me doing this..."

Rudy pressed the chalk against the chalkboard and began to write a quick note. He occasionally looked up to make sure no one but Penny was looking. He finished the note and drew a box around it. He put the chalk away and, not having an eraser handy, used his shirt to erase the chalk off the chalkboard. He put the portable chalkboard away and brushed off the chalk. He hoped that Snap would find the message very soon.

sss

Sol folded his arms against his chest and let out a low growl. Those little urchins... They were wasting his time, that's what they were doing. They couldn't possibly know he wanted to expose ChalkZone, but they were certainly acting like they knew.

How dare they keep him waiting this long... How dare they not open up the portal so he can get on with his plan... How dare they delay it this long...

It was getting close to the end of recess. In just a little bit, the students would be back in the room. Rudy and Penny wouldn't be able to open up a portal with other humans around. They would have blown their chance at opening it today. Sol growled to himself. Those stupid kids had all the time from when recess started until now. There was no reason why they couldn't have opened up a portal and come into ChalkZone. There was no excuse. If he weren't pretending to be Snap, he would teach them a lesson when they eventually did come in.

He could imagine how boring this was for Vice to watch. She would be expecting him to be doing something. All he was able to do was pace around and wait for those kids to show up. All Vice could see is what he saw. And the only thing he saw right now was the blue sky and green ground. Not really much to see. If she were able to talk to him right now, she would probably be urging him to move along.

He hoped that she wasn't getting angry by this. It was really scary when she did almost lose her temper at him and threaten to kill him. He doubted she would actually go through with it, but he would rather not take that risk. Better safe than sorry. He got a little taste of what Snap felt when he was around that black unicorn, and he could see, from personal experience, why Snap was afraid of her. Not that he really cared, though. Snap deserved what was happening to him.

Speaking of Snap, that little blue rodent was probably amused by this whole thing. He might be giving a taunting smile and, if he could talk, he would say about how much this plan was failing. Yeah, of course Snap would enjoy seeing him fail. He would like to see him stand around, doing nothing, unable to further fool his friends. Sol growled deeply, his eyes narrowed into slits. The thought of Snap winning, even if it was small and brief, made his blood boil.

Finding it hard to hold in his anger, he turned around and shook in rage. He kicked at the ground again, watching as the chalk dust was kicked up. He was glad there were no zoners here. He wasn't sure if, in his anger, he could come up with an excuse that would be something Snap would use.

Then he noticed something. There was a white...thing on the ground. His expression slowly softened up. It appeared to be a note of some kind. He slowly walked over to it. When he got up to it, he bent down ad picked it up. He unfolded it and spread it out. He narrowed his eyes as he read its contents.

It said:

"Hey, Snap! Sorry we can't make it into ChalkZone right now. Penny and I got lunch detention. We can't make it until after school. See you then!

-Rudy"

At this, Sol felt like the inside of his chest was lit on fire. Those stupid kids... Of all the times to get into trouble, it had to be now. He crumbled up the note and threw it into the ground. He snarled at it. Wanting to release some more anger, he decided to take it out the sheet of paper. He kicked it as hard as he could. Being paper, the note didn't fly very far. Gritting his teeth, he stomped on the paper and scrubbed his foot against it. He watched in almost twisted satisfaction as it was ripped up against the ground. When he was done, the note was pretty much destroyed and torn apart.

Sol stood there, panting slowly. He realized there was little he could do except go to where Rudy comes in from his room and wait there. It wouldn't be for hours before they'd show up. It would be very boring and frustrating waiting, but he couldn't just waltz around ChalkZone. He might not make it back in time, and something could happen and he might lose his disguise.

He couldn't head back to the hospital. Even though the plan didn't start, Vice might call this one a failure. He wanted to go through with it completely rather than let it be over with prematurely. As much as he hated the idea, he had no choice but to wait around in that one spot for hours until those two brats finally decided to show up. Letting out a low hiss, he turned in the direction of that other portal and headed down there.

In order to help himself be more patient, Sol constantly told himself that the wait would be worth it in the end. He would get one last chance to expose ChalkZone and, regardless of how it turns out, he would get to trap Rudy and Penny. He would get a chance to play with that annoying genius girl. He put his hand on his chest, against the knife he was hiding, his hand trembling slightly with anticipation. Oh yes, it was going to be a fun time.

sss

"Hmm..so it seems there'll be a delay in this attempt." Vice said softly. Her eyes were narrowed slightly. "How unfortunate... I don't like waiting..."

Snap whimpered as Vice continued to hold him in her arms. He really wanted to get away from her right now. Her voice..it was increasingly angry. She was not very happy right now, with Rudy and Penny not coming into ChalkZone at their usual time. She didn't want to be sitting around here, watching nothing but ChalkZone scenery.

Snap could practically feel the anger rising up inside of her. He could feel it radiating off of her. His whimpers continued to increase. He was feeling even less safe than before around her. He moved his uninjured left leg a little, a very weak attempt at escaping. A tightening of the grip made him stop moving, out of fear of being injured again. He looked up at her fearfully and then back at the screen.

All that could be seen was moving scenery as Sol walked over somewhere else. Snap recognized the route the Snip was taking. It was leading him straight to where Rudy's house portal would be. Snap knew school couldn't be out yet, so the doppelganger was going to be there for a while, waiting. Probably another three, four hours, before Rudy and Penny would arrive. Only when they showed up could the Snip begin his plans.

It did bring Snap a little bit of happiness to know that the plan was delayed. He was happy that Rudy and Penny got detention. Usually that sort of thing would upset him. But not this time. This time, he was glad, because it meant that Sol couldn't get into the real world. At least not yet. That delay would give his friends some time to, hopefully, figure out that Sol is an imposter. It would also give them some extra time of not being captured.

But that happiness was overshadowed by fear. The way Vice was stroking his head was getting more irritating now. She was pushing harder, moving her hand over more roughly. It was starting to hurt him. He let out a few whines in protest. She ignored them and continued to roughly stroke him in this manner. She got rougher the angrier she got. Oh how he wished he could get away.

"I don't want to sit around here watching nothing... That isn't fun at all..." Vice growled under her breath. She glanced down at Snap. The white zoner let out a few low cries, unable to tear his eyes away from her. She gritted her teeth and said, "I need someway to pass the time..."

Snap knew he wasn't going to like where this was going. Vice continued to move her hand along him, applying pressure as time went on. It was hurting him. Not as bad as his other injuries, but it was still more pain. He could feel the sharp tip of the hoof fingers begin to scrape his skin.

He watched as she turned her eyes back on the screen. She locked her eyes on it, watching as Sol headed towards the other portal. Her body trembled slightly in anger. It looked like she was having a hard time keeping it all in. Snap was worried that she was going to lose it. He didn't like the idea of bearing witness to Vice losing her temper completely. That was not going to be an enjoyable experienc.e His heart beat faster the longer he stared at her, the more she contorted her face in annoyance and anger that Rudy and Penny weren't showing up until later on.

"Oh well..." Vice's expression softened and she grew more relaxed. Snap let out a sigh of relief when she stopped rubbing his head so hard. "I guess it can't be helped. Those kids will come into ChalkZone eventually. I suppose I could just..." She gave a small smile. "...entertain myself..."

Snap looked up at her. That smile, it was holding a promise...a painful promise... And then those eerie eyes looked down at him. His body started to tremble. Even before she said anything, he knew where this was going. He took in a few shaky breaths and tried to talk, tried to say 'no'. All that came out where painful whimpers.

Vice cupped his chin and tilted his head up. "I think I will play with you for a while. That will pass the time."

Snap let out a low whine and attempted to struggle. It was no use. He couldn't move. Too weak, in too much pain..and any movement he could make wasn't going to be enough to get out of his current predicament. He stared into her eyes fearfully, sucking in rapid breaths in and out as Vice gained a twisted smile. She was going to hurt him again...and he wouldn't be able to escape it. He watched as she raised one of her hands up in the air. He tried to shake his head in protest. He could do nothing to slow down the hand as it went towards his left arm.

Vice's eyes brightened as she wrapped her hand around his arm. She gave a tight squeeze, pushing against the wounds. Snap let out a pained cry. Vice continued to squeeze his arm, enjoying his cries of pain. Sometimes Snap would try to scream louder, but he would stifle himself, his eyes shutting with tears flowing down his cheeks as he let out low whimpers. It would hurt him so bad to scream. Some blood splattered out of his mouth from the neck wound, staining a part of his mouth and chest.

The insane unicorn didn't let up. She continued aggravating his injuries, all for the shere sadistic pleasure of watching him try to squirm. Just to be cruel, she struck the sliced area where the nerve was she cut. This caused Snap to widen his eyes big and he let out a scream of pain. This caused more blood to spray out of his mouth and caused him to freeze and tense up, his body shaking in pain. He wanted to grab his throat and rub it gently so badly. He let out a few muffled cries.

He stared up at Vice pleadingly. He silently begged her to stop hurting him. But she didn't stop. She just kept going. She didn't care how much she was hurting him. She said she wanted to entertain herself, and this is how she was choosing to do it. By hurting him and ignoring his wordless pleas for her to stop.

Soon, Vice did remove her hand, but that offered little relief to Snap. She immediately press against his chest wound again. She pushed her pointed tips against the stitches and moved it back and forth, keeping them on the line. Eyes snapping open, tears flying from his eyes, he let out another scream. He recoiled almost instantly. It felt like the back of his throat was slashed up. He sobbed and wept as he laid helplessy in Vice's arms, unable to stop her as she continued to toy with him like this.

As she continued to press against his chest wound, his breathing started to quicken. His heart started beating faster. He was hyperventilating. He couldn't stop the tears from flowing dow his face. Oh man, this hurt so badly... The pain... Why wouldn't she stop? How could she do this to him? Why did she have to be so cruel? He wanted to struggle, but all he could do, as adrenaline started to flow through him, was move his head from side to side in a weak attempt to get away.

He was completely helpless, trapped, unable to go anywhere. His only chance to get away was for Rudy and Penny to find him. He opened up one eye, a tear trinkling down it, and looked over at the screen. He hoped and prayed that, when Rudy and Penny show up, they would see Sol is not him and come find him. That was the hope that he still clung onto, even if it was starting to slip away. Rudy and Penny would find him... They just had to...

sss

Penny kept quiet as she walked along side Rudy and... whoever this zoner was. She wanted to say Snap just to make it easier on herself. But at the same time, it felt..wrong. If this zoner really wasn't Snap, then calling him that would feel like she was betraying her friend. She needed to find another word to call him. Something that distinguished this potential imposter from her friend, just in case she turned out to be right.

She thought of a word. It was simple, yet effective. Doppelganger. That is what this guy might turn out to be. A doppelganger.. And if he was, she was going to make him tell her where Snap has been taken. She won't let him get away with hurting her friend. She knows Rudy wouldn't be so forgiving towards him either. If this did turn out to be an imposter, they both had the right to be angry. Toying with their emotions like that...how despicable.

His behavior when they came through the portal made her even more suspicious of him. He acted happy, but there was an underlining malice to it. Well maybe malice is too strong of a word. Perhaps anger was a better term for this. Either way, it wasn't something Snap would have done when he would see them after being late. If he was annoyed, he would let them know it; he wouldn't try to hide it behind a fake smile like this doppelganger appeared to be doing.

The suspiciousness didn't end there. There was more. As they were walking away, the doppelganger kept trying to convince them to go back towards the portal. He kept trying whatever he could to steer them back in that direction. Rudy refused to go back. He told the doppelganger that he couldn't go through his house portal, even if just for a visit, because it was too risky. Plus, ChalkZone was a lot more interesting than his boring bedroom and he didn't get why he would want to go in there in the first place.

The doppelganger tried to convince Rudy that they should go back to the portal. He said something about how he feels bad that they do so much stuff at his house, but almost never in Rudy's room. He tried to give a convincing story that he just wanted to play a game in Rudy's room, as a way to show how much he appreciates him as a friend. And though Rudy did buy this story, he still wasn't going back. He told the zoner whom he believed was Snap that they could always play a game together in his room next time. Right now, he wanted to take a walk around a newly erased place, the Light Forest.

This forest was a little narrow, at least for a forest, and it went along in a straight line for miles. Tall trees and bushes covered the land. The ground was made of some kind of bioluminance. It made the ground appear to glow, contrasting well with the night zone upon which it was located. Penny was interested in seeing this place. She was always all for going to new places that just recently appeared in ChalkZone. The Light Forest certainly sounded intriguing.

But she wasn't sure if she felt safe going there with this possible imposter. She still kept a little distance from him. She couldn't put too much space between her and him, though, otherwise she might make him suspicious. There was still a chance that this really was Snap and he was just having an off time. If that were the case, she would feel bad. But for now, she would rather play it safe and be on her guard around him. She would rather play it safe.

They soon reached the Light Forest. The flashlights they used were shut off. There was no need for them in this illuminated forest. The light itself wasn't that bright. Compared to night one, however, it was quite intense. It was about as bright as the streetlights that lined the city in night zone. It made it very easy to see the intricate details of foliage and helped them know where to stop and where not to. There were a few thorny places. Black roses grew around the place, their vines twisting around the trees. It looked pretty, but also a little creepy.

The three of them entered the forest together. There was a long path that stretched down the middle. That made it easier for them to navigate. They walked along the path, which had brighter lights on it in the form of glowing diamonds. Penny couldn't get over how pretty this forest was. She looked all around, admiring its beauty. For a moment, she had forgotten about her fears regarding the possible imposter.

A few times, they encountered some fauna in here. Some light-based insects flew around. They circled each other and took off. It was hard to tell if they were fighting or in the middle of a ritualistic dance. A few venus flytrap-like plants laid on the ground, some attached to tree trunks. Once in a while, a light bug would land in it, and it would get trapped. As disturbing as it was, it did fascinate Penny to see how fauna functions in ChalkZone, how different it can be, and how similiar it can be as well.

The trio suddenly stopped when he reached a part of the forest. There was thick foliage that covered the area up, and the forest up ahead did look a little dimmer. They couldn't really see much with the thick foliage that blocked the path up. This didn't stop Rudy for too long. He raised up his magic chalk and was about to draw. Then there was a low howl that came from the path up ahead. The three of them stared, wide-eyed, wondering what the rest of this forest was like.

Rudy bit his lip. He turned back to the other two. He turned his gaze downward for a moment. Then he looked back at them. "I'll scout up ahead and make sure it's safe. You two stay here."

Penny took a step forward. "You don't have to do that..."

Rudy raised up his hand. "Coming here was my idea, Penny. The least I can do is make sure it's safe. Besides..." He pointed at her. "You have magic chalk, too. If I get caught, you can come save me. But if we're all caught..."

Penny knew he had a good point. She let out a sigh. "Okay then, Rudy." She stared at him. "Be safe."

Rudy nodded his head. "I will. Don't worry." With that, he disappeared, leaving Penny alone with whome might be an imposter.

There was silence between the two. None of them said a word. Penny looked over at the doppelganger. Sometimes, he would look at her. He would sometimes offer a smile, but every time he gave one, the less sincere it felt. Him not talking was another clue that he might not be Snap. Whenever she and Snap are alone together, he doesn't stay quiet for very long. He'll talk about something.

There was still a part of her that hoped she was wrong. She didn't want to be right about this. She knew that if she was right, then things have gotten a whole lot worse. She had no idea where her friend was, if this turned out to be an imposter. If this turned out to be a doppelganger, then..where was Snap? She had no idea if the real Snap was dead or alive... Not knowing was frightening.

She was completely torn. She never felt like this before. She never felt so split on an issue in the past. A part of her was hoping that she was wrong. Another was praying that she was right. It was a weird feeling, and she didn't like it. She tried her best to ignore these mixed feelings and waited for Rudy to return.

Out of nowhere, a glowing bat came out of nowhere. Penny couldn't tell if it was having a hard time seeing or what, but it started to dive towards the doppelganger. It hit against him, knocking him against a tree. Penny stared, wide-eyed. The bat had long sharp fangs and was trying to bite the blue and white zoner. Despite possibly not being Snap, she still rushed over to help him. Drawing a simple purse, she swung at the bat, trying to knock it away.

She swung hard. She made a miscalculation. She did make the bat go away, but not because she hit it. It was because the bat flew up into the air before she could hit it. It was too late to stop the swing. The purse made contact with the doppelganger, striking right at his chest. He let out a grunt of pain as he was thrown back against the tree harder. He slid down the tree, holding his chest like he had been hurt badly.

Penny gasped at this. She hadn't meant to hit the zoner. Snap, or whoever this turned out to be... She rushed over to the fallen zoner. She knelt down and stared at him with concern, her eyes having the apologetic look to them.

"Are you okay?" She asked, eyeing the zoner up and down to make sure he was okay.

The doppelganger looked up at her with narrowed eyes. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just a little sore chest. That's all..." He winced as he rubbed his chest a little. "It's not that bad."

Penny reached out and grabbed the zoner's hand. "Here, let me help you up." She attempted to lift the zoner up, but he pulled his hand back from her. She looked at him in confusion. "I'm just trying to help."

"I don't need your help." The zoner said. "I can...get myself up..."

Penny tried again to help him up. She grabbed his arm with both her hands and started to pull him up. He began to struggle against her. Even as she helped him up to his feet, he was still trying to get free. He was pulling and yanking hard. He really wanted her to let go. She refused, not until she helped him up to his feet completely. It was in her nature to be helpful, and there was still a chance that this wasn't a doppelganger after all.

And if it did turn out to be Snap after all, well she didn't want to make herself look like a jerk to him by not helping him up, even if he, for some reason, didn't want it. She continued to pull the zoner up. Sometimes he did break free, only to fall back down. She was relentless. She kept going at him, grabbing and tugging him up to his feet and trying to help him keep balance. The zoner was appearing to get angrier the more she did this.

"Let me go.." The zoner said, gritting his teeth.

"I'm just trying to help you..." Penny said. "You keep falling down."

"That's because you won't let me do it myself!" The zoner snarled, sounding angrier than she ever really heard Snap be. It was worse than the time he got upset with her for calling him a 'comical sidekick'. When Penny still refused to let go, still tried to help the zoner up, the zoner finally got fed up with it. "I said let go!"

Suddenly, the zoner grabbed Penny roughly by the arms and shoved her away. Penny let out a cry of surprise as she fell into the ground. She fell over a fallen tree and tripped onto her back. She sat up, using her hand to support herself, and rubbed her head. She looked over at the zoner in shock. He...shoved her down on purpose. And that expression...he was certainly not apologetic for it.

Then something bizarre happened. There was a flicker. It could best be described as a graphical glitch in a video game. This happened to the zoner that stood before her. A wave of what looked like corrupted code, though she couldn't tell what it actually was, swept through the zoner's body, distorting his appearance. And, for a moment, he looked...like a Snip...

Penny's eyes shot open at this. The realization dawned on her. She...she had been right... There was no doubt in her mind now.. She moved backwards, still on her back. She stared up at the zoner, taking in a few shaky breaths. She couldn't believe it... How was this possible? How did this zoner.. ? And...why...? So many questions swam through her head, and the most urgent one was...

...where was the real Snap...?

"You're...you're not Snap..." Penny breathed, her eyes growing bigger.

The doppelganger stared at her for a moment. His eyes grew big and his mouth opened up part way. He didn't say anything. He just stared at her. Then, slowly, a smile spread across his face. One that chilled Penny to the bone. "Congratulations..." He said. "You figured it out..."

In seconds, he was upon her, standing over her and eyeing her like she was was some kind of prize. She looked up at him in fear. Her breaths came in quickly, her heart beating fast. She watched as the Snip lowered himself, staring intently at her. The fact that he looked and sounded like Snap during all of this made it more terrifying for her.

The doppelganger reached into his leotard. He pulled something out. Penny gasped in horror as the zoner held up a knife in his hand. He looked at the blade, turning it from side to side as if examining it. He then looked down at Penny. Smiling evilly at her, he lowered himself further. Straddling her on her stomach, on his knees, he reached down and grabbed her shoulder. Pushing against her, he then placed the blade in front of her face. Penny could see her own terrified expression reflecting off the blade.

"Now listen here, toots..." The Snip said menacingly. His voice was low, almost a whisper. "You are going to do exactly what I say. And you will not speak a word of this to your friend, Rudy. Otherwise..." He began to trace the blade's edge along Penny's cheek. She gave a soft whimper as she felt the edge graze her slightly. "...I will give the signal for your other friend to be killed..."

Penny's eyes widened in horror. "S-Snap...?"

The Snip nodded his head. "Yeah...Snap..." He lowered the blade against Penny's throat. He applied pressure, but did not cut her. "He is...a guest right now. He's alive for the time being... But if you give me any trouble... he will die..." He pushed harder, pinching Penny's skin and causing her to yelp. "Do you understand me?"

Penny nodded her head, careful no to hurt herself on the blade. "Y-Yes..."

"Excellent..." The Snip said, his eyes brightening and his nasty grin widening. "As long as you be a good little girl... things won't have to be as bad as they could be..."

Penny stared up at the Snip in horror. Tears dripped down her face. Her body shook in fear. She knew she couldn't trust this zoner... She knew he was trouble... She should have told Rudy... Oh why didn't she tell Rudy...?

The Snip released her shoulder. He put his hand on her cheek and caressed it. "Pretty soon...you and I will have some fun together..." He put his face close to hers. "I've been waiting for my chance to play with you, Penny. And it looks like I won't have to wait much longer..."

All Penny could do was remain frozen on the ground, trembling in fear as terror and dread rose up in her chest. Her breathing quickened more. Tears continued to flow down her face. Low whimpers escaped her throat. She knew, without a doubt, things were about to get worse. A lot worse...


	16. Under Control

Sol continued staring down at Penny, that evil smile splastered on his face. He watched in satisfaction as she shivered in fright, a few small tears trickling down her face. Oh yes, that is the look he had wanted to see from this little human girl. That is how he wanted her to look at him. He had waited what felt like a long time for this moment. Sure, it's only been a few days, but it felt like time had been crawling very slowly.

The moment that Penny figured out that he was a Snip, an imposter, that was like a lightning bolt struck in his head. He didn't know what he was going to do. The fact that she figured him out, all thanks to that stupid bat knocking into his amulet, meant that his cover was blown...at least it would be if she told anyone. He wouldn't be able to trick her anymore. She already knew the truth. He thought that his plans might be ruined already. He thought that he had put the whole scheme at risk of being a complete and utter failure. He should have been more careful. He should have better protected his amulet so Penny wouldn't have realized what he really was.

Then he realized...maybe it wasn't such a bad thing. He could still make this work in his favor. Penny knowing what he was meant that he didn't have to pretend to be her friend when he was alone with her. He could start to say and do things to her that he wanted to. He could be honest with her finally. He could let her know exactly what he had planned for her, as well as her friends. He couldn't badly injure her yet. He needed to get her to Mumbo Jumbo Jungle where the trap was set. But he could still have some fun with her. Oh yes, so much fun...

Rudy wouldn't be back for a little bit. That give him time to play with Penny for a short while. He felt a sensation of satisfaction as Penny continued to stare up at him, frightened and frozen in fear. He knew that she was intelligent and that she wasn't helpless. But right now, there wasn't much she could do. She couldn't reach for her magic chalk to defend herself. If she tried to make a move, he could..no, he would hurt her. The knife was still placed at her neck, and he wasn't afraid to cut her. He could make wounds on Penny that he could easily explain as her falling against some of the trees and thorns here.

Sol still straddled Penny, keeping her on the ground. He pushed the blade a little harder against her neck. Penny let out a soft whimper. She gritted her teeth and stared at him, silently pleading with him. Sol loved the look on her face. He loved seeing her helpless like this, completely at his mercy. As she was, she couldn't escape him. He tried to think of something he could do to her as a way to show her how much control he has over her right now, and as a warning to her that she should listen to him.

He couldn't do anything to make her scream. No, that would draw Rudy's attention. If that wretched boy runs over here, he would see him on top of Penny and would demand an explanation. It would also cut off his chances to have fun with the girl. He wanted to make this moment last as long as possible. So, he opted instead to do things that would either scare Penny or hurt her, but not enough to make her scream. And he knew exactly where to start.

Sol moved his hand away from Penny's face. He then touched her right shoulder. He gently squeezed it before moving his hand up and down her right arm slowly. A few times, he'd stop to squeeze her arm. He kept his eyes on hers, watching her terrified and uneasy expression as he continued to rub the full length of her arm. So much vulnerable flesh... He didn't know what spot would be a good place to cut her. It was irritating that he couldn't have his way with her right this second. Even more so that he couldn't kill her. But oh well, not much he can do about that.

He hoped Snap was getting an eye full of this. He hoped that he was watching what he was doing to his friend. He hoped that he was trying to squirm, trying to cry out to Penny. He hoped he was in mental distress, watching his friend being tormented by someone who currently looks and sounds just like him. Oh how much more satisfying this would be if Penny really did think he was Snap. Well, this was satisfying enough. Seeing her horrified expression was enough to make him smile.

He moved his hand back up her arm and onto her shoulder. After rubbing and squeezing it for a few seconds, he moved along her neck and soon his hand was caressing her face again. His hand traveled up further and he began to play with her hair. He loved watching her reaction to all this. She really wanted to get away from him. She trembled and whimpered. She shed a few more tears of fear. He was scaring her, just like he hoped she would be.

As he moved his hand over her hair, he said in a soft voice, "Your skin is nice and soft... It would be so easy for me to cut it." He chuckled as her eyes widened in fear, sucking on her bottom lip. Her eyes followed the blade as he pulled it back from her throat. He moved it towards her arm. "Flesh can be so fragile...don't you think?"

With that, he cut into her arm. A shallow one. Enough to draw blood, but nothing serious. Penny let out a pained grunt, shutting her eyes tightly and clenching her teeth. This expression lasted a few seconds, then she was back to looking up at him fearfully. He pulled the blade back and looked at the blood clinging to it. Penny's blood. He smirked evilly at it. He glanced back down at her. She trembled as he held the blade in front of her face, keeping the sharp tip pointed straight at her.

"I'm having a good time. Aren't you?" Sol asked tauntingly. He grinned broadly at her as he held the knife at her. The tip of it glinted in the brightness of the Light Forest. "Playing with you is just as much fun as I thought it was going to be." He kept his voice low so that Rudy wouldn't hear him. "It's going to be more fun when I trap you two and I have my way with you..."

Penny's eyes widened at this. "Y-You..."

Sol pulled his head back slightly, the smile growing a little bigger, a little crazier. "Yes, I do have plans for you and Rudy. Or at least, my boss does."

"Who..." Penny started to say, her voice shaky.

Sol cut her off. "That isn't any of your business. And what she wants to do with you...oh you'll find out..." Sol grinned evilly at her. "You will find out..."

Penny shook harder, her eyes growing bigger. Sol looked at her with a smug look of satisfaction as the realization that things there going to get much worse for her, as well as her friends, weighed down on her. She started to cry a little harder. He could feel her body shaking harder. She was becoming more and more terrified as the seconds passed and he enjoyed every minute of it.

He loved toying with her. He loved messing with her. The sight of her shivering, helpless form was just beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. He enjoyed the torment he was inflicting on her. He couldn't wait until he got to do more to her. He wanted to cut more deeply into her arm. He wanted to hear her scream. He wanted Snap to see the whole thing. He wanted to hear Rudy's pleas to make him stop. He wanted to hear Penny try to cry for mercy. Even if he couldn't kill her, there was still so much he could do to her that woudn't ruin Vice's vivisection on them.

He pressed the knife against her cheek. Her pupils stared at the blade, her teeth gritted in fear. He gave an insane smile as he started to cut the cheek slowly, blood dripping from the fresh wound. She let out a small yelp of pain. He cut along, making a diagonal cut on her left cheek. Oh how easy it would be for him to press harder and draw more blood. How easy it would be for him to cause even more damage...

He hoped he would be able to participate, at some point, with the vivisection to be done on Rudy and Penny. Maybe Vice will let him torment Penny. He wanted to cut open her stomach and rip out her intestines. He wanted to do it slowly, making sure she watched the whole thing. He wanted to kill her slowly and painfully where Rudy could watch the whole thing. Yes, that would be satisfying. That would be the ultimate retribution. He would be rid of Penny before she became a problem and Rudy would suffer for the crimes he committed against his kind. Yes, it would work out perfectly.

"Wh-What did you do to Snap?" Penny asked, apparently gathering up enough courage to talk again.

Sol said, "That little runt is getting what he deserves..." Penny looked up at him in horror. "As for what's happening to him... Does it really matter? It's not like you'll be able to save him anyway. You and Rudy will never be able to reach him in time..."

Penny narrowed her eyes a little. For a moment, her fear was forgotten. She growled at him and said, "We'll find him... You'll see. We will find him, and we will stop you. You won't get away with this..."

She was silenced when Sol clamped his hand over her mouth. She let out a few mmph sounds, but didn't attempt to push his hand off, likely out of fear of the blade that he held in front of her eyes. She knew that if she made one wrong move, she was going to get hurt, or worse, Snap was going to suffer a premature death. Her previous brave face shifted back to one of horror.

"You're in no position to defy me, dear sweet little Penny." Sol said mockingly. He leaned in closer. His voice became a harsh whisper. "You should have heard Snap, calling out to you guys, trying in vain to get you to see I was an imposter. Oh he really had hope for you guys." Penny whimpered at this, her eyes glistening. "And, thanks to a certain magic spell, he can see this right now... He can see you being tormented. Oh how he'll want to come save you, and how helpless he is to do a thing about it."

Sol removed his hand and went back to playing with her brown hair. He pressed the blade back against her throat, applying pressure to make sure she didn't try to move. He rubbed her hair, running his round hand through the strands, feeling how soft it was. He imagined cutting his blade through the very thin scalp, watching the blood pour rapidly from the wound.

He then moved his hand down. He rubbed her cheek again, moving his hand back and forth. Then he moved his hand behind her ear. He rubbed the back of her ear for a bit before moving down her neck and back onto her shoulder. He caressed it and then moved down her arm. He ran his hand all along her arm, carefully avoiding the cut he had given her. And again, he was enjoying her expression during all this. She looked absolutely terrified, knowing that, at any second, he could hurt her. He was enjoying himself. He wanted to do more to her to further claim his dominance over her.

He moved his blade down to her other arm. He pressed it against the skin, and he sliced downward. He relished her brief cry of pain, loving the tears that flowed down her face. She clenched her teeth and let out a small whimper. He could see her eyes sometimes looking out in a different direction, obviously expecting Rudy to come over and save her. But that boy won't be back for a little bit, and that gave him time to play with her some more.

He saw Penny open up her mouth to try to call out for help. He narrowed his eyes. He pulled back his hand and slapped her across the face. She let out a cry of pain and she looked up at him fear, trembling hard. He glared down at her and shook his head from side to side in disappointment.

"Now now... you be a good little girl, and Snap will get to live a little longer." Sol said in a scolding force. He reached down and touched the area he had slapped, gently caressing it. "Defy me again, and I cannot guarantee his safety..."

"We'll...we'll stop you..." Penny said. She still looked at him in fear, but her voice held some confidence. "Somehow, someway...we will stop you..."

Sol just laughed evilly at this. "Oh, you really think so? I guess you don't fully understand the position that you are in. Maybe I should clarify just how much control I have over you, dear Penny..."

Sol knew what he was going to do next. It was something Vice had done with Snap a few times. The purpose of it when she did it was to freak out Snap mentally, to torment him in the mind. He would do the same thing to Penny, for the same reason. But he was going to take it a step further. He was going to do something she would never forget. It was something that was so simple...and yet so effective...

He pressed his knife against Penny's throat. He leaned forward, still straddling her, and pressed his hand against her cheek once more. He moved his face uncomfortably close to hers, smiling at her fearful expression. He continued to move closer, and in seconds, he pressed his lips against hers. Penny's eyes flew open as he kissed her and she jerked back. He kept his lips pressed on hers in the kiss for a few seconds and then he parted. He grinned evilly as Penny's eyes were wide in shock.

"That was fun..." Sol said. He then cut along Penny's neck, making sure it wasn't deep enough to cause too much bleeding. "But not as much as cutting you..."

Penny let out a small cry, a few more tears coming down her face. She took in shaky breaths, her eyes locked onto Sol's. "Why...are you doing this?"

Sol narrowed his eyes. "I won't elaborate on that now. But I will say this." He leaned in closer to her. His sadistic grin widened, almost from ear to ear. "Revenge is...quite nice, yes." Penny's eyes widened at this. He gave a dark chuckle. "I can't wait to see Rudy suffer. And Snap's suffering has been the highlight of the past few days. His screams sounded like a lullaby to me."

Penny glared at him. "Why you..."

Sol shook his head. "Uh uh huh..." Penny froze as Sol glared disapprovingly at her. "Remember...one wrong move and his death will come faster." He wasn't really sure if Vice would go along with this, but he knew Penny wouldn't know that. It was a good way to toy with her psychologically. "So watch that tongue of yours, pretty little girl."

Suddenly the two of them heard Rudy shouting for them. He couldn't see them yet, but they could both hear footsteps. He would be there any second. Sol glared in the direction Rudy was coming in. He was hoping he could have a little more fun with Penny. Oh well, he'll have his chance again later on. He looked down at the pinned girl.

He pressed the blade even harder against her neck, nearly slicing into it. He put his face so close to hers that his breath hit against it. He bared his teeth maliciously at her. His eyes narrowed into slits, boring into her ever growing wide frightened eyes.

"Remember, do not speak about this to your friend. Play along and do exactly what I say. You belong to me now, little Penny. Do you understand?" Penny gave a slow nod. Sol smiled at this. "That's a good little girl. Now when he gets here, tell him that I, 'Snap', want to go to the Mumbo Jumbo Jungle. I take it you got it?" Another nod. Sol moved off of her and yanked her roughly to her feet. "Good, good... Now here he comes. Remember, do not give him any clue that I am not Snap, or your friend will suffer the consequences..."

Penny gulped at this. She looked over in the direction Rudy was coming. The two of them stood there and waited, and in seconds, Rudy rushed right up to them. He stopped a foot in front of them and he gave a few pants. When he caught his breath, he looked at the two.

"I'm sorry you guys. I went a little further than I thought." Rudy said, smiling at them. He glanced behind him. "It seems to be clear, though..." He turned his head back towards them. "So we can..." Then he paused. He stared at Penny, moving his eyes up and down. He had taken notice that something was wrong. "Penny...what happened to you?"

"N-Nothing..." Penny said quickly.

"No, it's not nothing. You look a little roughed up." Rudy took a few steps towards her. He reached out and grabbed her arm and looked at it. "And you have some cuts. They're bleeding." He looked at her worriedly. "How did this happen?"

"Well..." Penny glanced over at Sol. He gave her a small, but menacing, evil smile. Her eyes widened. She looked back at Rudy. "I-I just fell. Th-That's all..."

"You fell?" Rudy didn't sound convinced.

"Yeah. I fell over there." Penny pointed at a tree behind Sol. It had some thorns on it. "I cut myself. That's all."

Though Rudy still didn't look convinced, he didn't question Penny any further. Sol was happy about this. If the boy spent too much time quizzing Penny, the girl might have blabbed something out to him that would expose him. If that happened, he'd have to kill them both right here and now, and he didn't want that. He wanted to prolong their suffering.

"Those cuts should still be treated." Rudy said. "Before we go any further, let's..."

"Snap...wants to go to the Mumbo Jumbo Jungle now." Penny said quickly.

Rudy paused at this. "What? Why?"

"To explore, what else?" Sol said. He took a few steps towards him. He smiled at Rudy, taking care not to make it look malicious. "There's a region there I wanted to explore more in depth. I felt that today was the perfect day to go. Penny and I were talking about it while you were gone. Isn't that right, Penny..?" He turned to look at Penny.

Penny nodded her head. "Yeah... We were."

"Okay, I suppose we can go." Rudy said. There was a tinge in his voice, something Sol couldn't identify. He couldn't tell if Rudy was getting suspicious or if he was simply confused. Rudy took out his magic chalk and started to draw. "But first, we have to take care of those cuts, Penny. We don't want to risk you possibly getting an infection."

Sol grumbled softly at this. He wanted to get going now, but he would have to wait until Rudy treated Penny's minor injuries. He couldn't hurry them up, or else he'd be suspicious. To him, there was no point in treating the wounds because it wasn't like Penny was going to live too much longer. And she was going to have worse done to her than a few small cuts. But from Snap's point of view, she was his friend and he would want her wounds to be taken care of, not simply ignored just because they didn't appear that bad. So he had no choice but to wait around until they were treated.

But soon...oh so soon...vengeance will be his. Finally, after the past few days of plotting and waiting, the moment had almost arrived. Soon, he would lead these two into a trap. He would have his way with them, play with them, and then drag them off to Vice. They will suffer the same fate as their pathetic little friend.

He couldn't wait.

sss

Rudy...Penny...no... Snap tried to struggle in Vice's arms. He tried to ignore the horrific pain that sliced up and down his arm. He wanted to scream at the television. He wanted to call out to his friends and warn them about what Vice was going to do to them if they got caught. He wanted them to save themselves. He would rather die painfully alone than allow them to suffer the same fate he was going to have. He didn't want his friends to be tortured as well. No...they didn't deserve it...no...

It was a double edged sword when Penny finally figured out that Sol was an imposter. Two strong feelings swept through Snap's mind what that had happened.

First off, he was immensely relieved. Finally, after all this time, someone took notice that Sol was not him. At long last, someone had gotten suspicious of the Snip and realized that he, the real Snap, was trapped somewhere, in some grave danger. Now that Penny knew the truth, she could tell Rudy about it. She and Rudy could force Sol to tell them where he was, and they could finally come save him.

But then...things got worse. Now that Penny knew, nothing was holding Sol back from being a little...creepy with her, mean and nasty. He forced her on the ground and straddled her. Then he started to play with her. It was unbearable to watch as Sol kept touching Penny and cutting her a few times. The way Penny looked...it really made Snap want to come help her. He didn't care if he got more injured. He just wanted her to be safe. And when he kissed her like that... That was very disturbing. He couldn't believe he did that.

And now Penny can't say a word about the encounter to Rudy, at least not while Sol is there. Vice can hear and see everything. She would know if her friends both find out. And once they did, she would make sure to kill him before that happens. He was certain of it. Sol had her under his control. Snap knows that Penny won't do anything that would endanger the lives of her friends. She would have no choice but to obligue, and walk straight into a trap she knows is there.

Snap's hope of being rescued felt like it was shattered into a million pieces. His friends were going to be captured. Penny, who knew what was going to happen, couldn't do a damn thing about it without risking further harm to him or Rudy. Penny must feel just as helpless as him. Both of them knew that they were all in big trouble, but neither of them could do anything about it thanks to the hold these monsters have over them. Snap felt that any chance of rescue was slim to none.

He looked up at Vice fearfully. She was smiling evilly down at him. She hadn't looked happy at first when Penny figured out the truth, but when Sol thought of a way to use that to his advantage and keep a hold over her, she was rather impressed by it. She wouldn't vivisect him if Penny did slip it out to Rudy about what was going on, but she would be entertained by their reactions when Sol told them that he was dead.

He let out a whimper as Vice leaned up in the chair. She held him against her body with one arm. She got up out of the chair and walked over to the television. She took one last look at it. The last thing Snap saw before she shut it off was Rudy and Penny walking with Sol towards the Mumbo Jumbo Jungle. Then Vice lowered her head, forcing Snap to see an upclose and personal view of her odd eye. He let out a soft cry and tried to cringe back.

She held him up from under his arms, gripping him tightly. She stared at his frightened face. There was a glint in her eyes. One that she had when she... Snap's eyes widened in horror. Letting out weak, soft cries, he started to struggle a little. Fighting against the pain, he managed a few weak struggles as he was carried over to the operating table.

"Now, now, sweetheart..." Vice said as she drew closer to the table. "I'm not going to start the vivisection just yet. I have to go grab some tools and they aren't here. They're in another part of this building, where I had some...fun with that oversized rodent." Snap looked at her with a horrified expression. She chuckled and she sat him on the operating table. "I just want to get you prepared. Just going to strap your limbs down for now." She ran her hand over the top of his head. "This is it... I can't wait to see your insides again... I can't wait to stick my hands in you..."

At this, Snap let out a loud whimper. He attempted to struggle again, but he couldn't do anything to stop Vice from pushing his back against the table. His arms were locked into place. Then she went down towards his legs. Instead of strapping them down right away, she did something else that took him by surprise, and caused him to panic.

She grabbed the last bit of clothes he still had on him and yanked them down his legs and threw them into the ground. Now he was completely naked. The room suddenly felt a lot colder. In a panic, he managed to move his left leg a bit, desperately trying to kick at Vice. She clamped down his right leg, and then seized his struggling left foot. That was soon cuffed to the table as well.

Vice smiled down at him. "It's better I vivisect you like this, sweetie. Your clothes would have...gotten in the way. And besides.." She held out her hoof hand in a gesture. "You're not going to need them anymore, anyway. Now..." She turned and walked away. "...let me go get those tools. And we can begin..."

Vice disappeared out of the room, leaving behind a naked, shivering, and frightened Snap behind.


	17. Getting Closer

How were they going to get out of this?

What was she going to do?

Time was running out... She had to think of something, and fast.

After Rudy treated Penny's minor wounds, the three began to head for the Mumbo Jumbo Jungle. Penny had hoped that Rudy would ask the imposter, whom he still thought was Snap, why he wanted to go there. She hoped that, by doing so, the imposter would say or do something that would give himself away. But unfortunately, Rudy didn't really find anything strange about the request, and just thought that Snap felt like exploring the jungle today.

Penny had no idea what she was going to do. She needed a way to communicate with Rudy. But how? This imposter, this Sol as he whispered to her before they started to get a move on, had some kind of trick that allowed his associate to see what he was seeing, hear what he was hearing. If she did anything suspicious, then his partner would...do something horrible to Snap. Kill him...torture him... She wasn't sure what that associate of his would do, but it wouldn't be anything good.

The longer they walked, the less time they had to save Snap, and the less time they had before they were captured. Penny knew they were talking into a trap. As Sol kept giving her nasty smiles, she shuddered, knowing that, right now, there wasn't much she could do. There was no way she could get close enough to Rudy to tell him anything. Sol would ensure that she didn't say anything that would give him away. And she couldn't attack him either; that would surely make his partner finish off Snap.

She had to wonder who this partner was. Sol never elaborated on it. He refused to tell her when she had attempted to ask him who he worked for. He would just say it wasn't any of her business. It was frightening not knowing who he worked for. Without that information, she had no idea what she was up against, what Rudy had to face. She had no idea what to expect or just how capable this enemy was. About the only bit of information she had is that his boss was female, and that there was something she wanted with her and her two friends.

That didn't really help her out much in understanding fully what they were up against. With so little information, it was going to be hard coming up with a plan. She needed a way to get Sol to leave for a while. But how? He would get suspicious and he would follow her and Rudy to make sure she didn't do anything without his permission. She thought about leaving a note somehow, but that was risky. It would involve somehow trying to get Rudy to go down the same path again and hoping that he, not Sol, would find the note.

She didn't give up, though. She knew that, somehow, she had to figure out a way to communicate with Rudy. If she didn't do something, and fast, they would all be doomed. Snap would die, and she and Rudy would be captured for who knows what this boss wanted with them. As the saying goes, where there's a will, there's a way. She just had to figure out what that way was.

She felt cold shivers snake up her spine as Sol gave her another evil smile. He only did this when Rudy wasn't looking. He was really enjoying the fact that Penny knew the truth but couldn't do anything about it currently. Sol was having fun tormenting her with this, sneaking evil looks or briefly showing her the knife he used to cut her with. She did her best to hide her fear, trying not to let him have the satisfaction of seeing her afraid.

She hardly knew Sol for that long, well knowing who he actually was anyway, not including who she thought he was, and she already hated him. She was already afraid of him. He was one of the creepiest zoners she ever met. Just the way he spoke to her, the way he touched her...It really creeped her out. It got worse when he cut her a little. She could tell he was holding back. Just the way the knife felt as it went into her skin, it indicated that Sol wented to go much further. He seemed excited to cause her pain and the way he smiled at her when he did cut her...it was horrible.

And the way he kissed her... That sent chills down her spine. When their lips met, she felt like someone stabbed her in the stomach. The sudden sensation was chilling and made her want to punch him. But with that knife against her throat, there was nothing she could do. She could only lay there as he kept their lips pressed against each other. She was relieved when he parted a short time later. Being ten years old, she didn't really think about what her first kiss might be like. But she never would have imagine it would come from a deranged zoner who wanted to hurt her.

For a brief moment, she was worried that he might go further than that. She was relieved when he didn't, then it dawned on her he couldn't go that far, being made of chalk and all. Still, the thought frightened her. What frightened her even more is what she planned on doing with Rudy...and what he and his boss had done to Snap.

The realization that, after all this time, these past few days, they had been worried about Snap but giving support to the wrong zoner made her sick. It was disgusting how nice she and Rudy had been treating this monster. They had talked about how they were keeping to keep Snap safe and protect him from whoever hurt him. But all this time, they were showing concern to the wrong zoner, while their real friend was trapped somewhere, being tortured.

A pang of guilt filled her heart when she remembered what Sol told her about how Snap saw some of what was going on. The fact that her best friend had watched her and Rudy being fooled by this monster made her heart ache. She felt so horrible. She hoped she got a chance to apologize to Snap...the real Snap... She wanted to see him again. She wanted to help him. She wanted to get him out of whatever situation he was thrust into. She wanted him to know how much she and Rudy loved him, and how they would never ever betray or replace him like that. She wanted him to understand that they would do whatever it took to save him.

Her thoughts went to that incident in ChalkZone City, when they had met Thorn and his friend, Grinder the komodo dragon. She remembered how she had reacted to Sol. She had snarled at him...and only him. She didn't seem bothered by her or Rudy. But Sol was a different story. She looked like she wanted to tear him apart. She wished she had taken that as a cue that something was wrong with Sol, that she had been right all along about him. Maybe she could have spoken to Rudy about it and they could have come up with a plan.

Then she froze, another realization coming over her mind. One that made her fill up with horror. She recalled what Thorn had said about Grinder. The reason why she acts like that around strangers was because of a traumatic experience at the hands of Cecilia Vice, the once good doctor that turned evil. He had found her all cut up in some old, abandoned hospital. Vice had delivered massive scarring to Grinder both physically and mentally. And ever since then, Grinder had been pretty tough with strangers.

If Grinder had been fighting with Vice when Thorn found her, and if she had been there a long enough time, she would know Vice's scent very well. She probably could recognize it from a mile away. And the way she had reacted to Sol...how defensive she gotten...the way she acted like her life depended on it... Penny couldn't believe it... She hoped it wasn't true... No...anything but that... But the evidence was there. Grinder's reaction, Sol's sadism, Snap's disappearance, Sol's perfect disguise... It all fit. And it led her to the horrible conclusion.

Sol's partner was none other than Vice herself...

This realization sent cold shivers through her body. It was hard to avoid shuddering as she tried to keep herself from screaming from the horrific realization. Snap's kidnapper was Vice... The evil surgeon... the one that had captured, tortured, and killed so many zoners in the past. The same one that had tortured Grinder, gave her those wicked-looking scars. Suddenly, Snap's situation looked even more dire than before.

Penny did her best to hide her tears. She had no idea what Vice had done to her friend. Being there for a few days..she couldn't fathom the pain and torment he was forced to go through. Seeing Grinder gave her a good idea of what to expect. Vice must have been cutting Snap, using a scalpel not to help but to inflict pain on her friend. And she could have been doing so much more to him. She wanted to cry. The realization that Snap had been in trouble all along, and they didn't do anything to find him, weighed down heavily on her psyche. She...she had to do something to find him and fast. She had the strong desire to make up for not helping Snap. She had failed him these past few days... She would not fail him anymore.

An idea dawned on her. She looked out in front of her. For the moment, Sol wasn't looking at her. Neither was Rudy. The two were walking side by side as she hung in the back a little further. She allowed a little more space between her and them. She got out her magic chalk. She wasn't sure if it was going to work in time, or if it'd succeed at all, but it was the only thing she could think of doing that wouldn't land Snap into more trouble.

She quickly drew a small homing beacon. It was crude in appearance, nothing like what Rudy had drawn. It would have to do, though. Whether or not it would work, she wasn't sure. It flew at least. Glancing back to where Rudy and Sol were, she leaned in closely to the homing beacon and whispered an instruction to it.

"Go find Thorn and Grinder. Bring them here. And hurry!"

The homing beacon took off in an instant, silent and swift. She hoped that it would be able to bring back help in time. She watched it briefly as it flew off into the distance. She hoped that this plan would work. She hoped that help would arrive and she and Rudy would be saved from Sol before he could attempt to do anything. And if he tried to order their friend be hurt, she was certain Grinder would put a stop to it. Maybe the sight of Grinder would make Vice think twice before she inflicted another wound on her friend.

She moved a little quicker to catch up to Rudy and Sol. The imposter glanced over and looked at her. He didn't look suspicious, thank goodness. Just another one of those creepy smiles of his. Penny had no idea how far they were going to walk, or when the trap would be sprung. She tensed up as they moved deeper into the Mumbo Jumbo Jungle, looking every which way, expecting something to jump out at them any minute.

She didn't know how long they had been walking. It felt like forever. Rudy didn't seem to mind, but to him, they were just exploring, like they always did. It didn't seem like such a big deal. But to her, it was something much more sinister. Rudy had no idea of the danger they were in. He didn't have a clue that they were walking towards danger. At any second, they could be trapped, unable to escape. Who knows what Sol might do to them before he takes them to Vice... Who knows what Vice is going to do to them once they get there...

Just then, after a while of silence, Sol spoke up.

"Say, Rudy?" Sol said, doing a perfect imitation of Snap's voice. "Let's go this way." He pointed his hand in one direction. "I want to show you something."

Rudy and Penny looked in the direction indicated by Sol. It was a tightly dense part of the jungle. The trees were drawn very close together. And in the middle, the trees were actually warped, creating a twisted-looking tunnel. It was pretty dark throughout most of the tunnel, but there was a light at the end of it.

The sight of it made Penny shiver. She and her friends had spotted this tunnel before, but they never went down it yet. Something about its appearance felt..foreboding. They would have gone to explore it before, but going in there with Sol... Penny knew that it wasn't going to end well. If Sol wanted to go down this way...she shuddered to think just what might be waiting for them on the other side.

"Are you sure about that, Snap?" Rudy asked, staring at the tunnel warily. "Do you really want to down that tunnel today? We hadn't really prepared for it."

Sol nodded his head. "Yeah, come on, it'll be fun!"

Penny flinched at that. Of course it would be fun...for Sol that is.

"I'm not so sure." Rudy said. He turned to Penny. "What do you think, Penny?"

Sol turned his attention to Penny. He smirked at her. "Yes, Penny. What do you think?"

Penny tried to hide her fear when Sol looked at her like that. There was intent in that voice. The way he spoke, it was a clear message. Either she play along and help convince Rudy to go down this tunnel, or Snap was going to suffer. She had no choice. Whether or not Sol was bluffing... She couldn't take that risk.

She nodded her head swiftly. "Yeah...let's go down the tunnel. I'm sure it'll be fine." It was a miracle that her voice didn't crack while she spoke. She gave a smile at Rudy, taking care to make sure it didn't look suspicious or out of the ordinary. "We were going to do exploring this tunnel anyway, weren't we?"

"Well yeah, but not today." Rudy replied. "I thought we were going to do that in two, three days." He looked back at the tunnel. He sighed softly and shrugged his shoulder. "Well I suppose it won't do any harm going in today. And besides, as long as we have magic chalk, we'll be fine." He smiled at Rudy and Sol and he headed towards the tunnel.

Penny watched as Sol ran up to join Rudy. The two of them started to walk down the tunnel. Penny stood there and hesitated. But knowing she couldn't leave her friend alone with this monster, she followed the two down the tunnel.

The tunnel went completely straight, although Penny couldn't tell just what was at the end of it. The tunnel itself had no smooth edges. It was bumpy all the way around. The tunnel was made up entirely of twisted branches that grew close to each other, pressing up against one another. In a few areas, she felt her foot sink down a little, and it was then that she realized they were going above some place off the ground. She wondered just how deep of a drop it was.

It hurt to touch the sides of the tunnel. Some of the branches had thorns, or something like thorns, raised out. It didn't help that this tunnel was narrow, so it was hard to avoid. A few times, she, Rudy, and Sol would hit against the side and wince in pain. None of them got any serious injuries. Just a few scrapes here are there. To Penny, the whole ordeal was worse than what Rudy might think it is because she knows that, at the end of the tunnel, there lies more danger. The scraping was but a preview of what was about to come, she knew.

They soon came out the other end of the tunnel. They were in a part of the jungle they never been in before. Tall trees grew very close together. The sky was almost completely blocked by the densely packed leaves above. Sunlight did shine through. That, combined with the lush foliage that grew, it made this place look beautiful. Penny would stand back and admire how pretty this place appeared if she didn't know what kind of danger they were in.

The place appeared to be enclosed. A huge area of dense trees that seemed to create a circle about a half mile wide. She had no idea such a place existed in the Mumbo Jumbo Jungle. And what a way to find out...being led into a trap by some monster...

Rudy looked over at Sol. "Okay, where is this thing you wanted to show us, Snap?"

Sol gestured with his hand. "It's this way! Follow me!"

With that, Rudy and Penny followed Sol further into the enclosure. He guided them through the thick foliage. Penny soon realized that the place wasn't completely enclosed. There was another pathway leading elsewhere. This was easier to navigate than the branch tunnel they had to use before, although it was still pretty narrow.

It lead them to another section of the Mumbo Jumbo Jungle she hadn't seen before. She and Rudy were in awe at the place. Long vines hung everywhere. Tall trees growing up so high. Rolling hills that went up and down. She couldn't even tell if it was the Mumbo Jumbo Jungle anymore, or some place completely new and different. As they walked along, Penny took the time to look around. She wanted to admire the beauty all around her, but she couldn't. Not with this imposter leading them somewhere dangerous. She really wanted to warn Rudy. She had to, before it was too late...

Soon they came to the edge of a somewhat small hill. The edge was a little sharp, for lack of a better term, and down below was some flat ground and what appeared to be the entrance to a large cave. Though wehter or not it was actually a cave, Penny wasn't sure, as the entrance looked, again, created by the tree trunks themselves. Unlike the first tunnel, this one had no light. It was hard to tell if it was just longer, or if it twisted and winded a little, or if it led somewhere completely different.

The three of them walked down to the bottom of the hill. Rudy was about to move forward, but then Sol grabbed his hand. This action confused Rudy and worried Penny. She bit her lip, wondering what the imposter was going to do.

Sol looked at Rudy and said, "There's some pretty nasty creatures in there, Bucko. I think it's best if I hang onto the magic chalk."

Penny's heart froze at this. She stifled a gasp of horror.

Rudy looked at Sol, perplexed. "Why? I can protect us from those creatures, Snap. There's no need to worry." Rudy said, smiling with confidence.

Sol shook his head. "No, it's too risky. You see, these things eat chalk!" He paused for a moment, and he reworded what he said. "Well chalk sticks I mean..like what you use. They see it and they go nuts over it!" He made a gesture to himself, his hand on his chest. "I know because I saw some piece of chalk that must have fallen out of your bag once. It landed in that area when I was exploring a bit, and those creatures just went nuts for it!"

Rudy looked over at the tunnel, narrowing his eyes in confusion. "Really?"

Sol nodded his head. "Yeah. Believe me, you're better off giving me the chalk. They see you with it, and they'll swarm all over you! They have a thing against creators."

"But what about you?" Penny asked, trying to buy a little time. Sol glared at her. "I mean, if you say they go nuts for chalk sticks, wouldn't it be dangerous for you to carry them as well?"

"Penny has a point, Snap." Rudy said. He stared at the magic chalk in his right hand. "It's probably best if I hang onto it. If the creatures attack me, then at least I can draw us some kind of defense." He looked at Sol. "If you have it, well there's nothing you can do to defend yourself."

Sol narrowed his eyes. It was clear he was not going to give up. He ran in front of Rudy, putting his arms out in front of him. Rudy looked confused by 'Snap's' behavior, but so far, he didn't seem to understand that this wasn't really Snap at all.

"Whoa whoa! Are you suggesting I can't handle guarding the magic chalk? Don't you trust me, Rudy? Your own friend?" Sol asked, trying to sound hurt and confused. Penny narrowed her eyes a little as he toyed with Rudy's emotions. How despicable. "Come on, I can throw the magic chalk to you if it comes to that. Please, Rudy... Let me do this okay? Just this once?"

Rudy stared at Sol, and then at the magic chalk. Penny hoped that Rudy would see through that behavior and realize the truth. But sadly, it did not dawn on the boy. Rudy still didn't realize that Sol was a fake, an imposter. It was because Snap really would do something to help Rudy even if it put himself in danger. He was a selfless zoner like that. Rudy would see this as just Snap being desperate to help him out. And that fact made it hard for Rudy to see the facade behind it all.

When Rudy lowered his magic chalk towards Sol's waiting hand, Penny wanted to shout at him 'no'. She wanted to rush over and stop him from making such a huge mistake. She wanted to do something, anything, to stop this from happening. Before she could even attempt to stall some time, Rudy had already dropped the magic chalk into Sol's hand. She watched, in horror, as Sol tucked the magic chalk into his pocket. Sol had disarmed Rudy, and her friend didn't even know it. But she still had her magic chalk. She could still do something to...

"Give me yours." Sol said, turning to Penny.

"Wh-What?" Penny asked, flabberghasted that the imposter knew she had magic chalk.

Sol said, "I am aware you have a piece, too. I saw the glint from before. Come on, Penny. Hand it over." He held out his hand.

Penny tried her best not to tremble. The fact that this imposter somehow knew she had magic chalk with her... and the fact that he wanted her to hand it over.. It frightened her. The imposter was effectively disarming both of them so they would have less of a defense. Horror and dread filled her mind. She couldn't just hand over her magic chalk. If she did that, Sol would have an edge over them. For all she knew, those creatures he mentioned were working for him. By handing over her magic chalk, she'd be putting herself in danger.

She tried to think of some way not to hand over her magic chalk. She stared at his hand, held out in front of her and awaiting the chalk. She looked at him and flinched as she saw the glint in his eyes. A glint that told her that if she didn't do what he said, he was going to do something terrible. His stare never left her eyes. She didn't want to do it... She couldn't do it... But what would happen if she didn't? Would he give the signal for Snap to be killed? Would a terrible fate befall her and her friends?

"Go on, Penny." Rudy said. "Give Snap your magic chalk. Don't worry. He'll keep it safe. Won't you?" Rudy smiled down at the zoner he thought was Snap.

Sol nodded his head, facing Rudy for a second. "Oh yes, I will." He looked back at Penny. Since Rudy couldn't see his face, Sol was able to give Penny an evil smile. "I'll keep the magic chalk safe, Buckette... You can count on me."

Penny gulped quietly. She still did not feel comfortable doing this. She knew it was going to land them in trouble. She knew she should try harder to keep the magic chalk. But now both Rudy and Sol stared at her expectantly. There was no way she could worm her way out of this. If she didn't hand over the chalk, even if Sol didn't do anything drastic, Rudy might try to convince her to hand it over to 'Snap' for safe keeping. Penny couldn't believe how Sol was manipulating Rudy like that. It made her blood boil. Everything he was doing made her angry.

But at the moment, there was nothing she could do about it. She took out her magic chalk and looked at it. She gave a soft sigh. With her heart tightening up in fear, she reached down and placed her chalk in Sol's hand. He grinned at her and he put the chalk in his pocket with the other one. Now she was disarmed as well. She hoped that the homing beacon worked. It was one of their only chances of escape now.

Sol gave a chuckle. The laugh confused Rudy and made Penny take a step back. Sol looked over, giving Rudy a creepy smile.

"S-Snap...?" Rudy asked, his eyes widening. "What are you...?"

"I'll keep your magic chalk safe all right..." Sol said, his voice darkening a little. His eyes brightened, a glint of insanity in them. "But who is going to keep you safe?"

Without warning, Sol charged into Rudy. He grabbed him by his shoulders and threw him into the ground. Rudy let out a surprised cry as he crashed into the floor. Then, seconds later, the ground collapsed. Rudy screamed as he fell down a pit, deep enough so he couldn't jump out and the edges so slippery with so little footholds that he couldn't climb his way back up. Penny watched as Sol walked up to the edge, his hands behind his back. He stared down the whole, an evil smile on his face.

Penny rushed over and stared down the hole. Rudy looked to be okay. A bit scraped, but otherwise fine. He was looking up at Sol in horror. There was a look of betrayal on Rudy's face. It was clear he still thought Sol was Snap. But Penny was confident that Rudy would soon make the connection.

Rudy tried to climb out of the pit. He jumped on the sides and grabbed a whole. Digging his fingers into the side, he started to climb upwards. He didn't get that far. With little proper footholds and the sides being a little too smooth, he fell right back down. He let out a grunt of pain as he landed on his back. He looked up at Sol, his eyes widening in shock. That same look of betrayal was on his face. Penny wanted to tell him the truth, but she feared Sol would kill Snap if she did.

"Snap! Why did you..." Rudy paused. He narrowed his eyes a bit, staring at Sol. Then they widened. Something seemed to click with him. His mouth dropped open in shock. He took a step back. "You're not Snap..."

Sol's eyes widened a little. Then a sneer spread across his face. "I see you made the connection as well."

Realization swept through Rudy's body. Seconds later, he took a fighting stance and glared up at Sol. "What have you done with Snap?!"

Sol waved a dismissing hand. "You shouldn't worry about what's going to happen to your friend. Not like you are going to see him again anyway." Rudy snarled at this. "What you should really worry about is what I'm going to do to your..." He turned and stared intently at Penny. "...friend here..."

Rudy's eyes snapped wide. He shouted, "Don't you dare...!"

"And what are you going to do about it, little boy? Without your magic chalk, you're nothing.." Sol hissed softly.

Penny took a few steps back. Sol advanced on her a little. His smile grew more vicious as the seconds passed. He motioned with his hand for her to come closer. The look in his eyes clearly told her that if she didn't obligue, he was going to hurt Rudy. Shivering in fear, Penny gulped and walked over towards Sol. Before she could even attempt to defend herself, he grabbed her by the arm and shoved her into the ground, onto her back. She realized that he had placed her in just the right spot for Rudy to see her expressions.

"No!" Rudy cried. "Leave her alone, you imposter!"

"Oh but you aren't in charge here, Rudy. I am." Sol straddled Penny again, like he had in their earlier encounter. He reached down and caressed Penny's cheek with one hand. The other hand played with her hair. Penny shuddered from his touch. "I can do whatever I want to your friend. And there's nothing you can do about it."

Rudy growled. He tried again to climb up to help Penny. He frantically dug his hands and feet into the side, trying to push himself up closer to Penny. He reached out his hand, his eyes widening in desperation. He wasn't able to say up for long. He slipped right back down. He let out a grunt of pain as he hit against the hard ground.

Penny stared up in fear at Sol. She wanted to punch him. She wanted to get him off of her. The only thing that held her back was the fear of what would happen to her friends if she made a move towards him. There was no doubt in her mind that he would indeed hurt them if she dare try to defend herself. She was forced to be submissive to his creepy touching. All she could do was narrow her eyes at him defiantly. But she couldn't make a move in self defense.

Sol chuckled evilly as he continued to play with Penny's hair. He looked down at Rudy, his smile broadening as he looked at Rudy's expressions, some furious at what Sol was doing, others frightened for what was happening to Penny. It was clear that Sol thought this was all just fun and games for him. He was getting pleasure out of this, the sick psychopath...

"At long last, I can finally get my revenge on you, Rudy." Sol said, sneering down at the child below. "I've been waiting a long time for this."

"What are you talking about? What the heck did I do?!" Rudy cried.

Sol snarled at this. "Denying it... for shame, Rudy. You should know very well what you have done to me."

"What do you mean?!" Rudy shouted at him.

Sol ignored him. He looked down at Penny. His smile broadened. He reached into his leotard. Penny trembled as he pulled out his knife and held it up. Rudy gasped in horror. Sol continued to stare intently at Penny. He brought the knife down to her neck and held it there.

"No! Don't do it!" Rudy cried, holding out his hand. Tears formed in his eyes. "Don't hurt her! Please!"

Sol glared down at him. "After what you've done to me, you deserve this." An evil smile came onto his face. He grinnned, his nasty smile sending chills down the children's spines. "This is going to be just as much fun as it was for me to torture Snap."

At this, Rudy and Penny gasped in horror. They stared at Sol in shock, anger welling up inside both of them. Snap had been tortured by this beast.. and they didn't do anything to stop him... The realization weighed heavily on their minds. Penny's eyes widened in horror. Oh no...Snap...

Sol laughed at the kids' reactions to what he said. "His screams were music to my ears! Oh you should have heard him screaming, Rudy. It was beautiful!"

Rudy's body shook in anger. "You..."

Sol continued, "The way he screamed as I was slicing and stabbing his arm was glorious! And you should have seen the look in his eyes when I stabbed him in his ear, sliced his foot open, severed his achilles tendon. Marvelous! It felt so good giving that little brat what he deserved!"

The description of what Sol had done to their friend filled them both with rage. Rudy was trying even harder to climb up the edge. He almost made it, but Sol simply pushed him back down before he could do anything. Penny attempted to struggle. Sol pressed the knife harder against her neck, knicking her slightly. She froze, glaring up hatefully at him.

This monster... The things he had done to their friend... It was cruel..it was unnecessary... Why had he done such things to him? What had Snap done to deserve such treatment? Picturing all that going on in her mind was unpleasant for Penny. She could see Snap on the ground, helpless to stop Sol from hurting him. And what stung even more is the fact that she was certain that wasn't all that had happened to him. He was gone for days... Who knows what Vice had done to him in that time...

Sol leaned further against Penny, lowering himself and putting his face close to hers. He stared intently into her eyes, that sick smile still on his face. He caressed her cheek a little more before he lifted up the blade and held it in front of her face. He moved it closer, aiming the sharp tip at one of her eyes. Penny leaned back as far as she could go, gritting her teeth in fear as she stared at the blade.

"Finally... you will get some retribution for what you have done, Rudy." Sol hissed down at the boy. He brandished the knife in front of Penny's face, smiling at her reactions of fear. "Some justice...will finally be served! And when I'm through with you, you will end up just like Snap! Broken, weak, terrified... A pathetic mess of your former selves!" He let out a cold laughter.

"You monster!" Rudy shouted. He tried again to climb up the edge. "I will get you for this! I swear, you will pay for this! I won't let you get away with threatening my friends!"

Sol smirked down at the boy. "Not like you can do anything about it now, you worm..." He glanced down at Penny. "You can't even save dear sweet little Penny..."

"Don't you dare hurt her!" Rudy shouted.

"You're in no position to tell me what to do.." Sol said. "I run this show now." He turned towards Penny. "And as for you..." He raised the blade against her neck. "Where shall I cut you first...?"

"No!" Rudy cried.

The boy knelt down and pushed his hands into the ground. He gathered up a clump of dirt. He looked up at where Sol had Penny pinned down. He pulled his arm back and threw as hard as he could. The clump of dirt hit against Sol's face hard. The doppelganger grunted in surprise and staggered back a little. Penny took this chance. She pulled her hand back and punched him in the chest, knocking him backwards. She climbed up to her feet as quickly as she could.

Sol stumbled back a little, surprised by the attack. He wiped the dirt from his face and glared hatefully towards Penny. His body shook in rage. Holding the knife out at his side, he charged towards Penny. She took a defensive stance, prepared to fight him. Before she could react, the doppelganger shoved her into the ground roughly. She let out a cry of pain as she hit painfully against the ground.

"Penny!" Rudy shouted from the pit.

Penny looked up to see the evil doppelganger grinning at her evilly. He was almost upon her now. She attempted to get up, but realized, in horror, there was no way she could get out of the way in time. Her eyes widened as Sol rushed towards her. Then, like a lion going after prey, he pounced in the air, the knife drawn out in front of him to stab her in the chest. Unable to look away, Penny let out a scream.

Suddenly, something large and heavy barreled into the clearing. In seconds, large jaws clamped around Sol's body, thrusting him off the ground. Penny watched in absolute shock as Grinder, Thorn riding on her back, shook Sol ruthlessly in her jaws. Blood dripped from the wounds as Sol let out screams of agony. As she shook Sol, Thorn jumped off her back and rushed over to the pit where Rudy was. He reached down with a long stick and after Rudy grabbed it, the human-like zoner pulled him out.

Grinder threw Sol into the ground, his body covered in lacerations and blood. He glared up at her. He took a few steps forward, his legs buckling a little from the pain. He gritted his teeth, a few tears of pain streaming down his face. He charged towards her, attempting to attack her with the knife. Grinder struck him with her paw, knocking him against the tree. His amulet flew off of him and landed at her feet. Grinder crushed it instantly with her foot, causing the amulet and Sol to flicker a little. As Sol went unconscious, his body shifted back into its real form.

Penny's body trembled from the shere shock of what just happened. That was...that was real close... She turned over to look at the zoners who saved them. Grinder put her face close and flicked her tongue against her, smelling her the way a lizard or snake would. She looked over and saw Thorn walking up to her with Rudy at his side.

"I got your message." Thorn said, looking at Penny with concern. "I was worried we wouldn't get here in time."

Rudy looked over at Penny in surprise. "You...sent for help?"

Penny nodded her head. "Before we got into the clearing, I had drew a homing beacon to find these two. Sol had already revealed who he was to me, and he threatened to kill Snap if I told you outright what was going on."

Rudy growled under his breath. He stared over at Sol, who was alive, but badly injured and unconscious. "He'll pay for what he did..."

"Yeah, he will. But right now, we've got to find Snap." Penny looked over at Thorn and Grinder. "Do you still remember where Vice's hospital is?"

Thorn's eyes widened in horror. Grinder growled in fear. "You mean..your friend was taken there?"

Penny nodded. "I'm certain of it. Please...can you take us there?"

Thorn looked over at Grinder. He patted her on the side. "I know it's going to be scary for you, but help these two out, okay?" Grinder nodded her head. He gave a small smile, then he looked over at Sol. "I'll take him with me to make sure he doesn't try anything else." He looked back at the children. "Grinder will take you to your friend. If Vice hadn't changed locations, he'll be in the same place Grinder was held prisoner. After I take care of Sol here, I will get an ambulance sent straight to that abandoned hospital. They'll be there as soon as possible."

As Thorn went over to pick up the unconscious and bleeding Sol, Rudy and Penny went over to Grinder's side. The komodo dragon-like zoner lowered herself close to the ground. Rudy and Penny climbed onto her back. Rudy sat in the front, slinging his arms around her neck. Penny hung onto Rudy. The two of them braced themselves as Grinder rose up straight. And then, in seconds, they were off.

Grinder raced through the forest, her feet pounding the ground. She moved at incredible speed, faster than what a normal komodo dragon could muster. As seconds passed, it seemed like she was moving even faster, picking up the speed. She jumped over obstacles, ran between trees and thick foliage, and dodged any zoner that happened to be in the way.

As Grinder continued to race through the jungle, in the direction of the abandoned hospital, Penny whispered one thing. The thought that was on both her and Rudy's minds.

"We're coming, Snap..."

sss

Snap didn't know how long he had been laying here. Half an hour? An hour? Many hours? Time seemed to have little meaning to him right now. There was no way to tell time. Everything seemed to just hold still for him. All he knew for certain is that, sooner or later, Vice was going to come back and prepare to kill him. She was going to vivisect him and there was nothing he could do to stop her.

All his hopes...it felt like they were crushed right then and there. There was..no way his friends could get to him on time. It would take a miracle for them to find him now. What were the odds of him succeeding? Tears flowed down his face as he realized...this just might be it. This might be his last stand. This might be where he will die. He never thought it would end this way. Vivisected by some insane surgeon... He wished he could at least see his friends one last time before he...before he...died...

He shuddered as he thought of that dreadful word. He didn't want to die. He wanted to live. He wanted to get out of here. He wanted to be free. But now, the chances of that seemed...out of sight. It didn't seem like he was going to be free. The odds of that were ridiculously low. Soon, Vice was going to come in here with tools that were going to rip him apart and kill him.

He had nowhere to go. He couldn't get free. He was strapped down, completely naked at that. The room was very cold. He kept shivering, his teeth chattering. Unable to get warm, he felt his head ache as his body temperature lowered a tad. If it kept lowering too much, he was going to get hypothermia, and that was the last thing he needed with everything else that happened to him.

He wished he had been able to warn his friends. He wished he could have at least spared them this fate. But now it was too late... It was too late for all that... Soon, he was going to die, and his friends were going to suffer the same fate as he was. They were going to be vivisected... And he couldn't do anything to help them... Tears flowed down his face at this realization. His sobs filled the room as he felt his last remaining bit of hope start to crack.

Then he heard footsteps and his heart began to race. He heard the clopping of footsteps. It was Vice. She had returned now. He didn't know which was worse. The horrible quiet anticipation of the vivisection...or the realization that it was about to start...

Vice stood over him, pulling the tray of sharp instruments at her side. She held up a small saw above him. Blood and grey fur was caked on it. Snap realized, in horror, this was the saw that Vice used to cut open Boorat. He watched, his eyes widening in fear, as she turned it on momentarily. Loud buzzing filled the room. Snap let out a weak cry of terror, his body trembling harder as both fear and cold overwhelmed him. Vice set the saw down and smiled down at Snap.

"Don't be so upset, sweetie. I know it'll hurt for a little bit. But don't worry...soon the pain will all go away." She reached down and caressed his cheek. She traced her thumb across his lips. "Just remain calm... Everything will be all right... You'll see."

Vice picked up a needle. She pressed it against his shoulders. Snap winced as the drug was pushed into his body. He felt himself weaken even more, his mind becoming a little muggy, as the drug took effect. He didn't know what the purpose of the drug was. It wasn't like he could even move as he was. His eyes widened as she got out another needle, this one filled with that stuff that prevented him from passing out. Tears of pain dripped from his eyes as the needle was pushed against his stomach. Soon he could feel his heart speeding up from the drug's effects.

After she did that, Vice leaned down. Snap's eyes widened in horror as Vice kissed him on the lips. He struggled weakly to get away. She parted from him and smiled at him. He looked up at her in shock, having no clue why she had done that.

"First, I need to make sure you can't scream. It'll...distract me from my work..." Vice said.

She went over and grabbed the muzzle and two pieces of cloth. She stood next to Snap. She lifted up his head and placed a cloth across his mouth, gagging him effectively. She pulled on it tightly and tied the knot in the back. Then she pressed his head back down. Using the second cloth, she tied his jaws shot, just like Sol had when the first torture had began. She secured it good and tight.

Then she slipped on the muzzle. Back over his head it went, like when she did the surgery on him. Snap winced as he felt the cold metal and leather press against his head. Vice tightened it, this time even more so than before, causing Snap to let out whimpers of pain. He shut his eyes tightly as he tried to cope with the pain of the overexcessive gagging and muzzling. He opened up one eye and looked up at her, his eyes brimming with the question 'why?'. Vice ignored him as she hooked the metal strap over his head and neck.

"There, that'll keep you as quiet as possible." Vice said, grinning evilly at him. She then went over and picked up a scalpel. Snap's eyes widened in fear, his heart racing. "This is it, Snap. I've waited long enough for this moment." She lowered the scalpel slowly, taking her time. "Let's see what your organs look like..."

Snap's eyes followed the scalpel as the sharp instrument was lowered to his chest. His body trembled hard. No...it couldn't end like this...no... Please... He begged for something...anything... to save him. Tears streamed down the side of his face as he felt the blade make contact. In seconds, it was going to cut him open. More pain will be added onto what he was already feeling. Unable to get away, Snap closed his eyes, waiting for the pain to come.

Just then, there was a loud crash. Snap opened his eyes. He looked up and saw that Vice had stopped what she was doing and was looking to the side. Unable to turn his head, Snap couldn't see what was going on. And then he something large and dull green in the corner of his eye. Snap couldn't tell what it was. He watched as a paw came out of nowhere and struck at Vice, causing her to scream. He heard her crash into the ground, then there was a loud snarl as whatever the thing was went after her.

He heard a familiar voice call out to him.

"Snap!"


	18. Bittersweet Reunion

Rudy had been dreading, and anticipating this moment. He knew it was going to bad. He had expected the absolute worst. Coming in here, with all the horrible smells and then finding Boorat's corpse...he knew that Snap went through hell here. He knew that, when they got to him, to expect the most horrific things.

He just never imagined it would be like this...

Grinder had barreled down the halls at incredible speed. She had caught Vice's scent and she was closing in. Rudy and Penny listened intently for Snap. When they heard nothing, they were worried they might be too late. Rudy's heart had clenched and he did his best not to cry. He hoped that it wasn't too late. He begged there to be enough time to save him. Whatever this Vice had done to him, he hoped that it could still be treated. He hoped there was still time left.

Then they found the room. What happened next went by so fast, Rudy barely had time to register it. After they had gotten off Grinder, the dull green komodo dragon ran towards what appeared to be a black unicorn with a twisted horn. Vice... As the komodo dragon slammed her away and pinned her against the wall, they quickly saw just who it was she was standing over.

Their hearts froze when they saw it was Snap. He was strapped down on the table, naked and shivering. They could see stitched cuts on his body, a muzzle on his face, and his eye were wide with a mixture of shock and fear. The sight of their friend like this was too much for them to bear.

"Snap!" Rudy shouted as he and Penny rushed towards their friend's side.

Snap looked absolutely horrible. The stitches were not well done. They were only efficient enough to stop the bleeding. The skin hadn't completely closed on some of them and they could see partway into his arm. Infection was a definite possibility. Rudy knew the cuts had to be cleaned properly. He and Penny winced at just how much there was. Several on his left arm, a few on his right, along with smaller ones, the stab wounds Sol taunted them about. His foot had a long, deep cut in it as well, and his achilles tendon peaked slightly out of the horrible stitching done to that place.

And that wasn't all they took notice of. There was a long cut on his underside, right between his chest and abdomen. This cut looked deeper than the others, with even worse stitching, like this monster didn't care if he got an infection or if the wound reopened or what. Rudy and Penny wondered just what happened with this cut, what Vice was doing. A glance over at the cabinets gave them the answer.

Organs in jars... Each one labeled, although they couldn't read what they said from this distance. That was enough to help them draw the conclusion that Snap had been operated on. And they wouldn't doubt it was done in an unsanitory way. If risk of infection was high before, it was now ridiculously high knowing that the surgery was most likely done with dirty hands rather than a pair of gloves.

Snap looked up at them with wide eyes. Rudy's lower lip quivered, seeing just how scared and frightened Snap was. He and Penny looked on in disgust at the muzzle that was so tightly secured around their friend's head. It looked very painful. They could hear their friend trying to call out to them, silenced by the muzzle. Rudy and Penny wasted no time. They had to get this horrible thing off Snap right away. It was causing him pain and discomfort. He had a feeling Vice put it on him at least partly due to wanting him to feel defenseless.

Rudy and Penny worked together to unhook the muzzle. They slipped it off of him. Already there was some spark of relief in Snap's eyes. They were both horrified by just how tight it was secured to them. Deep indentions were in his head from where the metal and leather straps pressed against his skin. They then untied the clothes that gagged him further and dropped them on the ground. Snap instantly took in a few breaths of relief, opening his mouth a little.

That's when Rudy noticed the large scab on Snap's right ear. Sol had said he stabbed him in the air. Rudy could see the dried up blood clinging to the side of his friend's head. Sol must have stabbed him into the air drum and, from the looks of it, neither of these monsters even attempted to clean it. It must be very infected by now. Who knows how long Snap had this...

Rudy felt tears forming in his eyes as he stared down at Snap. He couldn't believe so much had happened to him...and he hadn't done anything about it. Snap had been gone for days. He had been tortured in all that time. He had suffered, and he hadn't known about it. The realization struck him and an overwhelming sense of guilt came over him. Snap needed him...and he wasn't there for him. And now he was laying here, badly injured, and what made it worse was he wasn't sure of the full extent of the damage. He didn't know everything Vice had done to him.

Penny's eyes moved up and down Snap's body, taking note of all the cuts he had. She grimaced at each one, no doubt from how poorly done they were. She then locked eyes onto Snap's. She narrowed her eyes slightly, like she noticed something. Being the daughter of a vet, Rudy wondered if Penny noticed something about Snap's condition that he did not.

And it turned out she did. Penny swung her head in his direction, her eyes widened. "He's been heavily drugged..."

Rudy's eyes widened at this. "Wh-What...?"

Penny looked at Rudy with a horrified expression. "He's been injected with something... A tranquilizer it looks like! The way he's hardly moving his head, the way he's looking at us... He was definitely drugged."

Rudy looked down at Snap. More tears flowed down his face. Drugged...? He wondered what kind of horrible drugs this monster put into Snap. Was there a lot of internal damage as well? What more had Vice done to him? He couldn't believe such a thing could happen to his friend. He never did anything to deserve something like this. Sniffling, he reached down and gently touched Snap's cheek in an attempt to comfort him.

Suddenly, Snap seemed to regain a bit of strength and he turned his head and bit Rudy's finger. Rudy's eyes widened and he let out a cry of pain. He looked down at Snap in shock. The zoner kept biting down on his finger. Tears were flowing down his face and low whimpers escaped his mouth. It took seconds for Rudy to understand the bite was out of fear. Snap must have thought he was going to hurt him... Had the torture had that much of an effect on his friend?

Penny had a different idea. "It's the drugs. Whatever he was injected with, it's messing with his mind a little. Delaying information processing in some way." She gently stroked the top of Snap's head. "It'll wear off eventually."

Rudy lowered his head a little. He didn't try pulling his finger away. As much as it was hurting him, he let Snap bite down on it. He whispered to him, "Snap..it's me. Rudy... We're here... Penny and I are here... We're going to get you out of here."

At this, Snap's eyes flickered with recognition. It seemed to fully dawn on him now who the two people standing by him were. He slowly released Rudy's finger and looked up at him. His eyes shined with both an apology and happiness. Slowly, despite the horrible agony he must be in right now, Snap managed to smile. It wasn't a big smile, but it was enough to show how happy he was to see them. He began to let out small, brief sounds. No words, just squeaks and other small sounds. It was like he was trying to speak, but couldn't find the words to say.

Rudy and Penny wished they had gotten here sooner. They wished they had figured everything out earlier. When that imposter displayed that odd behavior, they knew they should have been suspicious. They should have questioned him earlier. They should have known that he wasn't Snap and they should have taken action earlier.

If they had done that, Snap wouldn't have had to suffer for so long. He wouldn't have been trapped in this hell of a hospital, this mockery of a place where people were supposed to be healed, not tortured to death. But because they had taken so long, Snap suffered a lot, both physically and mentally. What they were seeing was just a snapshot of what he had been through. As painful as it was, they...they needed to know everything their friend had been through. They wanted to make it better, and finding out was the best way to do that.

They looked at the shackles that held their friend down. With Rudy on the right and Penny on the left, they began to undo the metal bars that held their friend down. They were a tad heavier than they expected and getting them undone was not easy. The clamps were very tight. They had to resort to using screwdrivers to get the screws out of the clamps. This took a little longer than they would have liked. One by one, the metal bars came off their friend. They winced at the indentions they made in his skin.

They weren't surprised when, even when the clamps were gone, Snap did not move much from his spot. Most of the movements he was making were the violent shivers. This room was chilly. Snap was cold. Rudy knew they had to get him warm some how. But how? With those wounds...they could hurt him... Maybe if they spoke to Snap and asked him where it hurt, they could avoid those areas. They could see the external wounds, but the internal ones... if there were any... They wouldn't know where those were.

"Snap..." Penny reached down and gently lifted Snap's head. She was careful to avoid his injured ear as she cradled his head up. "What has Vice done to you? Please...tell us everything she did..."

Snap's eyes widened at the mention of the name 'Vice'. Seconds later, his lip started to quiver. He let out low whines, tears dripping from his eyes. Rudy and Penny's hearts tightened at the sight of Snap crying like this. Vice had clearly hurt him badly. Even if, somehow, there was no physical evidence, just the way he reacted to the mere mention of her name told them all they needed to know.

Penny lowered her head and pressed the side of her face against Snap's. "Shh...it's okay... She won't hurt you anymore. Please...tell us what happened so we can help you..."

Weakly, Snap shook his head. Rudy bit his lip. Whatever happened to him...it must have been worse than he thought. It wasn't like Snap to stay quiet about this. The fact that he was refusing to talk to them about it said a lot in of itself. Snap was traumatized by this evil unicorn. Rudy shot a glare in her direction. For the time being, she was pinned against the wall, Grinder holding her in place with one of her paws. Vice was going to pay for this. He swore it.

He looked back at his friend, his expression softening as more tears formed in his eyes. He reached down towards his right hand. Careful not to move his damaged arm, he gripped Snap's hand gently in his. He wanted Snap to know that he was safe now. He could talk to them. He could tell them everything that has happened to him. They will make it better. He was their best friend. And he knew Snap understood this fully well. He wished he would speak up.

"Snap, please...you gotta tell us.." Rudy said, sucking in a shaky breath. Snap looked up at him. That same shake of the head, and Rudy's eyes watered more. "Please...why won't you tell us...?"

"You can talk to us." Penny said. She pulled back and stroked her hand along the top of Snap's head. "I know it's painful... But you have to talk to us, Snap. We want to help you."

Snap shook his head again. Before Rudy and Penny could say something else to him, they noticed him lifting up his right arm, which they guessed suffered the least amount of damage in comparison of the two. Just moving it was causing their friend pain. Tears were dripping down his face. The way his arm shook showed just how weak he was. Yet he was fighting against the pain and moving his arm...but why...?

Then they realized something. Snap was trying to show them something. They watched as he slowly, painfully, moved his right hand up towards his head. As his hand got closer, he tilted his head back a little, which took even more strength from the already weak zoner. Then Snap started to gently pat his neck slowly and weakly. When his hand moved a little down, now resting on his upperchest, that's when they saw it. Their eyes widened in shock and horror.

They hadn't noticed it before. There was another wound Snap had recieved. There were wounds on Snap's neck. One of them was more on the side, near his shoulder. The other one is what alarmed them the most. There was an incision in his neck, around the middle of his throat. The realization sent cold shivers down their spines. They instantly locked eyes onto Snap's, their eyes filled with dread and horror.

"S-Snap...you...you can't...?" Penny said in a shaky voice.

Snap let out a few low whines as he shook his head from side to side again. At that, Rudy felt like his heart shattered in two. Snap couldn't...he couldn't talk... That monster... She had cut his vocal cords... His body shook in anger at the realization, more tears flowing down his face. Penny looked absolutely horrified. Her hands were to her mouth, her eyes wider than he had ever seen them. They couldn't fathom why someone would do such a thing... Snap was a social zoner. To not being able to talk...

Rudy shot another glare towards Vice. That monster... How dare she hurt his friend... How dare she torture him... He only knew some of what she had done, and already he hated her. His eyes blazed with anger as he straightened himself up, shooting a death glare in her direction. He thought Sol was bad, but based on what he's seen, it was clear Vice was the bigger monster. She..she wasn't going to get away with this...she was going to pay...big time...

"You...monster!" Rudy spat in her direction.

Vice was pinned against the wall with Grinder's paw against her chest and throat. She appeared to be in some pain, her eyes shut and teeth clenched. She was grabbing onto Grinder's paw and was trying to push her away. She opened up one of her eyes and looked back at Rudy.

"How dare you...! How fucking dare you..! What did Snap to do to deserve this?! What makes you think you can go around doing these...these awful things to people?! What the fuck is wrong with you?! Do you have any idea just...just how wrong this is?! You're a complete monster!" Rudy yelled at her, low growls escaping his throat.

At this, despite the pain she was probably in, Vice just smiled at him. An eerie, evil smile. She let out a brief, weak chuckle as her other eye opened up. She turned her head the best she could. "Your friend...is nothing more...than a bag of organs... We all are... That is what we all are...in the end..." She tilted her head slightly to the side. Her eyes filled with a bit of insanity as she spoke again. "It all fascinates me...so much...! I tell ya, kid...the highlight of it all...was when I...operated on your friend...when he was awake..."

Rudy and Penny gasped in horror at this. Vice had done what to their friend? Operated on when he was awake.. Their minds flashed to the gash between his chest and abdomen and and the organs in the jars. Their minds instantly made the connection. They...they couldn't fathom what it must have been like for their friend. Being strapped down and cut open...being awake the whole time... That was beyond cruel and heartless...

"You're sick..." Penny growled at her. Hearing Snap whimper, she lifted his head up a little and pressed her face against his.

"How could you do that to an innocent zoner, you fucking heartless psychopath?!" Rudy yelled at the black unicorn. "That's a disgusting thing to do!"

"Me? Heartless?" Vice chuckled, ignoring the snarls coming from Grinder. "Oh contrare, little boy. I... have one. We all... do. An organ that... pumps blood through... the body. I have... a lot of those stored... in this place." Vice was taking in deep breaths, like Grinder was pushing her too hard and she was having a bit of a hard time breathing. "And don't...be so angry... I would have...done the same to you to... I always wondered...what human anatomy...was like.." She was silenced when Grinder pressed against her harder, making her grunt.

Rudy glared hatefully at the black unicorn. His body shook in rage. He couldn't believe just how sick and twisted this zoner was. He couldn't believe that this was the same zoner who was once such a kind and gentle doctor... And now she was an evil monster who inflicts pain on others for no reason other than pleasure.. How sickening...

Not wanting to waste another second conversing with that horrid beast, Rudy turned his attention back to Snap. Penny was stroking his head and trying to calm him down. Rudy's heart tugged when he saw Snap shaking and whimpering in fear. Hearing Vice's voice was clearly upsetting him. He was trying to move, trying to get out of the way. And he was so cold. His teeth were chattering. He was trying to cover himself up, but his arms were too badly injured for him to try to move again.

Rudy noticed Snap's face was flushed. He bit his lip, fear settling deep into his stomach. "He looks like he has a fever..." He said in soft voice.

Penny placed the back of her hand against Snap's head. She winced. "He's burning up..." She turned to Rudy. "We have to warm him up. Draw a blanket for him. A thick one. We'll wrap him up in it. But we need to be careful..."

Rudy nodded in understanding. He took out his magic chalk, which he had picked up before he climbed onto Grinder's back back in the jungle. He quickly drew a large blanket. When it materialized, he grabbed a hold of it. He took a step closer to Snap.

This was not going to be easy. Snap's arms are badly injured, and then there were his other injuries. Doing this was going to be tough. But he knew they had to get Snap warm. His body temperature must be unstable, with the cold and the fever messing with him like this. They had to get it stable, and quickly. He could be in worse danger if they didn't do something to help him.

"We can do it..." Penny said softly. "We just have to be slow and gentle with him."

Penny reached down and gently pushed her arms under Snap's body. The zoner winced as she accidentally aggravated his injuries a little. She slowed down, making sure not to hurt him more. She lifted him up. She made a gesture with her head for Rudy to put the blanket down. Rudy did so without hesitation. Penny sat Snap back down.

The two of them worked together wrapping Snap's shivering naked body in the blanket. A few times, Snap cried out in pain, prompting them to stop and slow down. It took a little while, taking their time to wrap him up in the blanket. But soon, they were finished. Snap's shivering slowed down a little as the blanket kept him warm. At least, warmer than what this room was. He looked up at them, his eyes brimming with gratefulness. It was clear he was happy at being warm. From how happy he looked, at least as happy as he could be considering his condition, it made Rudy wonder just how long he had been strapped to the table like that without his clothes.

They wanted to find someway to get him a little warmer. They couldn't just pick him up and hug him. No, they would hurt him by mistake. It was painful enough to wrap him up with those injuries. They needed another way to provide some more warmth for him. Luckily, it didn't take them long to think of a solution. Being gentle, the two of them worked together to lift Snap off the table. They carried him over towards a wall of the room, away from where Vice and Grinder were.

Once they reached the wall, they slowly lowered themselves to the ground. They sat with their legs straight forward. They gently lowered Snap onto their laps, on his back. Snap's legs were stretched across Rudy's lap. The back of his head rested on Penny's lap. She stroked his head while Rudy held onto his hand gently. It wasn't much of an improvement, but it would do Snap some good laying on their warm bodies instead of that freezing cold table.

"Everything will be all right, Snap..." Rudy whispered, squeezing his hand gently. "You'll get help soon...it'll be okay..."

Penny sniffled and she caressed his cheek gently. "That witch will never hurt you again... We promise..."

Snap whimpered and tried to shift his body. Rudy bit his lip as he watched. Snap was so weak and in so much pain he couldn't move all that much. As he watched him try to shift himself, Rudy realized Snap was trying to cuddle closer to them. Rudy knew Snap couldn't do that; he was going to waste too much of what energy he had left and he might end up hurting himself more. He had to hold still and try to relax.

He could understand why Snap was still so frightened, though. He had been tortured here for days by that monster. This is probably the first moment of actual peace and happiness that he's had in that time. His eyes watered as that realization dawned on him. Snap had been through hell here. If he and Penny had just realized the truth sooner, they could have helped him and most of this would not have happened. But he also knew there was nothing he could do to change the past, and what mattered was that they were there now to help him.

He squeezed Snap's hand harder and whispered in a soft voice, "Please, hold still, Snap. It'll be okay... Calm down..."

Penny, who realized what Rudy had, also spoke. "Yeah, Snap. Help is on the way. You'll be safe. Please settle down. Lay still and rest."

Snap looked up at her and let out a few low whines. He attempted to shift himself again. They realized he was trying to get himself on his side so he could press himself against them more. He had really missed them, he was frightened, and he wanted their comfort. But the more he shifted himself, the more he irritated his injuries and the more he appeared to be in pain.

They had to stop him from moving around too much. But they couldn't do it by grabbing and holding. They were going to hurt him by mistake. They needed another method. The only thing they could think of was just talking to him. Maybe their voices might soothe him a little.

"Snap, please calm down. You're going to be okay." Rudy said softly. He held Snap's hand in his own, gently rubbing it. "The pain will go away soon. And you'll get better. You'll be fine. Calm down..."

Snap looked over at Rudy, his lower lip quivering. His eyes widened a little. Fear... Snap must have heard Vice's grunt. He had learned to fear even the sound of her. He struggled to move a little harder.

"No...don't move..." Penny said. She held up his head and rested her chin on it. "Shhh... It'll be fine. She won't be able to hurt you anymore... Please settle down..."

"That monster will get locked up and you'll never have to see her again." Rudy squeezed Snap's hand gently. "You'll be safe."

Snap stared up at his two friends. His eyes were wide. His mouth was partially open as he took in a few quick breaths. At first, it seemed like he was starting to hyperventilate. This worried Rudy. It could mean that Snap was getting even more frightened despite them being here, or it could mean that he was in greater pain than they thought. He was relieved when he saw Snap's breathing slowing down a little and his tense body relaxing a bit. Snap was, by no means, completely at peace, not with these horrific injuries, but it was better than how he was before.

Rudy and Penny wished they could do more for their friend. They wished they could help take away some of the pain he was feeling. They wished they could make him feel more comfortable and more relaxed. But right now, there wasn't much they could do except try to warm him up the best they could and keep him as calm as possible until the ambulance arrives. They had a feeling Snap might react badly to going to another hospital, especially being trapped in this one for days, but he still needed to go to get checked out.

They needed to have his injuries properly assessed. They needed to know the extent of the damage inflicted on him. They needed to make sure he got the proper treatment. There was no doubt that he got an infection and he was sick, and they didn't doubt there was some internal damage done to him in some way. The only way to know the full extent of the damage was to have some scans done of his body. Only then can Snap get the proper treatment he needs and be able to recover.

Snap's mental state was a big concern. This event was certain to leave some deep mental scarring. They wondered just how badly this would affect his personality. It would sadden both of them if Snap was permanently changed from all this. They hoped that, at some poin in the future, Snap would be able to be the same happy Snap they had come to know and love during their time in ChalkZone. The idea of him becoming a whole different person because of the torture was unbearable to think about. They were scared that Snap might change for the worse.

Rudy watched as Snap closed his eyes. This would only last a short time before he'd reopen them. He realized, as his heart twisted, that Snap was trying to go to sleep. He noticed the bags under his eyes and realized that Snap was very tired and sleepy. It didn't take him long to come to the conclusion that Snap was in so much pain that he couldn't sleep. The realization filled Rudy with dread. Had Snap slept at all while he was here? When was the last time he got some real sleep? Were these monsters purposely keeping him awake to torture him?

He growled in anger as he stared towards where Vice was still pinned. That monster... He couldn't wait to see some justice delivered to her. She was going to pay for what she has done. Oh how she will pay... He would see to that.

It was her fault Snap was in horrific pain. It was her fault that Snap could very well be dying. It was her fault that Snap was cold, naked, and frightened. It was her fault all of this happened. She was not going to get away with this. He would make sure she didn't. No one gets away with hurting his friends. He would do whatever it took to keep Snap safe, and so would Penny. Vice was never harming Snap again.

Rudy looked back down towards Snap. His eyes watered more. Oh Snap...he had to be okay...He just had to be... He hoped these injuries weren't too severe. He hoped he would recover. He...he couldn't...

He heard a dark chuckle. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he heard how chilling it was. Snap's face contorted in fear and he started to shiver from fright. Penny held onto him gently, pressing the side of his head against her upper chest. Rudy glared back over to Vice. Despite being pinned against the wall, she was apparently finding this whole thing amusing.

"I don't...see why you're...so upset with me...dear sweet child.." Vice said, grunting from the increased force from Grinder's paw. She ignored the snarls she got from the komodo dragon-like zoner, keeping her attention on Rudy. She looked at him with one insanity-filled eye. "I was...going to end his pain...soon..and you would...have joined...him..."

Penny wrapped her arms around Snap's head as he whimpered, trying to shield him from her sights. "How could you..."

Vice's pupil shifted so she now looked at Penny. "I would have...given him back...to you..." A nasty grin spread across her face. "In pieces... Lots and lots of...pieces..."

Rudy and Penny gasped in horror at this. Snap let out low cries of distress, making their hearts tug as their minds filled with more hatred for this vile unicorn. They glared hatefully over at her, gritting their teeth. How dare she say such things in front of Snap... How disgusting and vile could she possibly get?

"His skin was nice...soft...I would have...skinned him...after I was finished...vivisecting him..." Vice said. She laughed as Rudy and Penny's eyes widened in horror at this. "I...have an addiction...to...anatomy... Organs..I love to...hold and touch them... I had...fun with your friend's...organs when I...cut him open...and I would have...played with them...some more...had you...not intervened..."

"V-Vivisection.." Penny gasped. "That...that would have..."

"Killed him?" Vice finished. "Precisely...and he would have...died painfully too..." She grinned nastily at this. "Oh so...very painful... And I would have...enjoyed every...minute...of...it..."

"You...bitch!" Rudy snapped at her, his body shaking in rage. "How fucking dare you!"

Vice turned her head a little. "The sight...of your friend's organs...gave me the biggest...drug high...ever... I should...thank him for...that..." She laughed coldly, ignoring the furious glares she was getting from Rudy and Penny.

That was it. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. What happened next, Rudy didn't expect. Neither did Penny or Snap. They remained frozen in shock, watching the display unfold right before their eyes, in gruesome detail.

Grinder apparently got tired of listening to the way Vice was talking to the children, tired of her attitude, and decided to do something about it. She threw Vice into the ground. The black unicorn let out a cry as her shoulder hit against the hard floor. Wasting no time, Grinder charged her, lowering her head and headbutting Vice, sending her crashing against the wall. Vice opened up her eyes just in time to witness Grinder strike her with her paw. Her claws raked across her arm, sending her sprawling against her side, crying out in pain.

The komodo dragon's jaws clamped down on her other arm, lifting her above the ground. She shook her ruthlessly, ignoring her screams of pain. She threw her as hard as she could into the ground. It was a surprise that Grinder didn't break the unicorn's arm doing this. Grinder struck Vice over and over again with her paws, tearing into her flesh, blood pooling out from the wounds, blood staining her claws. All the while, Vice kept screaming and trying to get away from her.

Vice's eyes widened as she felt Grinder bite into her leg. With a twist and a loud crack, the leg was snapped in two. The unicorn screamed in agony, blood dripping from the puncture marks left behind by the teeth. Grinder grabbed her in her jaws again, this time biting into her stomach. She bit down hard, ripping into Vice's stomach and causing blood to stain the ground. She shook the evil unicorn back and forth, prompting cries of pain to constantly emit from her throat. It would come as no surprise if her throat ended up sore from this.

Vice's robe was getting ripped up as the komodo's teeth and claws were ripping into her body. The robe was getting heavily stained with blood. And it was only getting worse as time went on. A few more times, Grinder struck the evil unicorn with her claws, creating more deep gashes in her body. Along her side, her arms, her stomach, her back, every where there was at least one or two deep gashes.

Vice tried to fight back. She pulled back a fist and tried to punch Grinder. The komodo dragon hissed at this. She snagged Vice's hand in her jaws and ripped into it. Vice screamed and tried to pull her hand back. Grinder lifted her up and slammed her into the ground, releasing her now bloodied hand. With Vice laying on her back, Grinder lifted up her paw and struck down against Vice's abdomen over and over. Vice's eyes widened and she grunted each time she was hit, blood splattering from her mouth.

When Grinder was finished, Vice rolled onto her stomach, groaning. Tears were flowing down her face, her eyes wide with fear and pain. She attempted to crawl away, dragging her battered and injured body across the ground. Grinder was not going to let her escape. Vice looked over and she let out a terrified scream. She turned herself over, attempting to defend herself. Grinder struck her across the face, creating a few gashes along her muzzle. Grinder placed a paw on her chest and pinned her down, baring her razor sharp teeth at her.

"N-No..please..." Vice begged, staring up at Grinder fearfully. "Don't hurt me anymore...please..I beg of you...!"

Her pleading did not impress Grinder clearly. The komodo dragon looked furious by this. She clamped her jaws against Vice's stomach and started to rip it apart. She tore out bits of flesh and blood poured rapidly from the wound. Vice screamed and cried as the komodo dragon tore open her abdomen. Vice managed to hit Grinder in the eye, making the komodo back off a little.

Vice got up to her feet and tried to walk away. She let out low cries and sobs as she held her stomach. Her eyes were shut tightly, her teeth bared. She took a few steps, holding her stomach, her body trembling from the pain. She opened up her eyes and stared down at the blood forming all around her. Her own blood... Something slipperly spilled out of her stomach. She realized, horror spreading across her face, it was her own intestines. Her mouth opened up in horror at the sight of this.

Vice turned her head, her eyes blurred by the tears filling them up, as Grinder came for her again. Vice screamed as Grinder struck her across the chest, forcing her onto her back, her head and shoulders against the wall. Grinder boxed her in, her teeth bared viciously at her. Vice shook her head in desperation, holding her hands out in front of her.

"L-Let me go..please! I-I-I'll do anything! Please, just let me go!" Vice pleaded hysterically with Grinder. Sobs wracked through her body, her eyes getting red from all the tears that kept coming from her eyes. She put her arms out in front of her in a weak attempt to protect herself. "Stop this! I promise I-I won't hurt him anymore! Just please...let me go! Don't hurt me again! Please!"

Grinder narrowed her eyes. Vice's eyes slowly widened horror and terror as Grinder lifted up her paw, her claws glinting in the light. Seconds later, she struck down, slashing open her shoulder and causing her to tumble across the ground. Her head smashed against the ground, her horn cracking in two. Blood poured out of the new wound. Vice let out one more scream and she collapsed on the ground, unconscious, a bit of her intestines strewn on the ground.

Rudy, Penny, and Snap were horrified by this. As much as they hated Vice, watching the gruesome attack against her was difficult to watch, especially when she was nearly disemboweled completely. Snap turned his head away, clearly not wanting to see more of this. Penny was looking on in horror, a hand to her mouth. And Rudy was in complete shock. He hadn't expected Grinder to be that vicious in her attacks. Granted, he couldn't blame her, but it still came as a surprise.

As horrible as Vice looked now, with the injuries and what not, she was still breathing. Somehow, against the odds, she was still alive. Grinder had ceased her attacks on her and was just snarling at her unconscious form. Rudy stared at the horrific scene, his eyes widened and his bod shaking. His mind was whirling with different thoughts with what had happened. He hadn't expected to see such a horrific mauling. Blood was all over the ground, all over Vice's body, covering Grinder's face and paws. He was glad that Vice was still alive. That meant she could still be brought to justice, even if there might be a delay in it.

The sound of footsteps filled the halls outside the door. Rudy and Penny were relieved when, at least, the paramedics had arrived. Snap could finally get some help.


	19. Destination Hospital

Penny turned her head towards the door as it was swung open. A group of six paramedics came rushing in. Three of them went over to where Vice's torn up body was. The other three came over towards Snap. They were rolling in a stretcher, placing it in front of the trio. They then knelt down and reached out for Snap.

No surprise, Snap cringed and let out a few whimpers. When one of the paramedics got their hand too close to him, he started to weakly growl. Rudy and Penny looked at him worriedly. They couldn't blame him for wanting to defend himself. After all, he had been tortured horrifically by that monsterous black unicorn, who, at one time, was a well respected surgeon. But they knew that he couldn't act this way around the paramedics. They were only trying to help him.

She stroked his cheek gently, carefully turning his head to look at her. "No, Snap. Don't be like that...please... You need to go to the hospital. A real one.."

At this, Snap shook his head weakly and whined loudly. He stared up at her pleadingly. Penny bit her lip. Snap really didn't want to go to the hospital, and it was easy to see why. He had been tortured in one. Going to a hospital might trigger the traumatic stress he was put through. But he had no choice. With that damage done to him, they needed to get him to a hospital stat. It was the only way he had a good chance of recovery. If he didn't go, he might suffer longer, or something they didn't know about could get worse and he'd be in trouble.

She wished there was another way. Had he not been so badly hurt, she might have considered convincing the paramedics to take him home or a friend's house instead of the hospital and just bring the equipment in there. Staying out of the hospital for as long as possible would do Snap some good mentally. Unfortunately, life wasn't always that simple at times, and if he is to survive, he must go to the hospital. There was no way around that, especially if that vile unicorn had cut him open and...touched his internal organs... They needed to make sure there wasn't massive internal damage.

"Snap, I know you're scared, but you have to go to the hospital. You need to be checked out. Your injuries need to be looked at and treated. The hospital is the only place where that can be done." Penny spoke in a soft, comforting voice. She stroked his head gently. "These zoners are here to help you. They won't hurt you. I promise."

"Yeah... They're going to take you to where you can start to feel better." Rudy squeezed his friend's hand gently. "Please cooperative with them... Please... We..we want to see you get better... And you won't until you go to a real hospital." Snap looked at Rudy with wide eyes. "It'll be okay, Snap. It will be okay... We'll..we'll come with you." Rudy looked up at one of the paramedics. "Can we?"

The paramedic nodded his head. "Sure, kid. Just be careful. The ride might be a little bumpy."

Penny smiled at this. "Thank you."

Rudy looked down at Snap. "See? We'll be with you as much as we can there. You'll be safe. We promise..."

Snap still looked frightened, but he was clearly comforted by his friends' words. He still trembled, but he appeared to calm down a little. The paramedics reached for him again and this time Snap remained as calm as he could. Two of the paramedics picked him up gently. Snap whimpered from pain, but didn't attempt to struggle. They carried him over to the stretcher and strapped him in securely.

When the other paramedics got Vice strapped in the second stretcher, they started to wheel the two out of the room and towards the exit of the building. Rudy and Penny followed close behind, Rudy holding Snap's clothes that were discarded on the floor. Heading down the hallways again made them feel uneasy. The horrible smells still hung strong in the air. The smell of Boorat's corpse was especially strong, filling Penny's mind with dread. The sight of his corpse was really horrible and she'll never forget that image.

They didn't see it for long, but it was enough to imprint the image in their heads. Boorat was laying still on the table, pale with blood all over him and the floor. His ribcage had been ripped open and most of his organs taken out. His eyes were still open, completely lifeless, and a permanent expression of horror was etched on his face. The counter near the table held all kinds of organs and she guessed they were from Boorat.

The sight of it made her and Rudy feel nauseaous. As much of a jerk Boorat was, he didn't deserve that kind of horrible fate. She couldn't fathom why or how someone could do that to another person. From his expression, Boorat was in a lot of pain when he had died. And that horrific muzzle on his head... Even if someone had stumbled upon the hospital earlier, they might not have heard his screams.

The scene was especially horrific considering that almost was Snap. As they had barged into the room, and as they learned some uncomfortable things about what Vice had done, there was no doubt that Vice was going to do the same thing to Snap as they had come into the room. If they had just been seconds later, minutes later, Snap would have gotten hurt even more. He could have suffered even more pain and damage, and he could easily have been killed. The thought of them almost losing Snap was too horrible to bear. She...she couldn't believe how close they were to... She tried not to think about it.

Soon, they were out of that horrible mockery of a hospital and headed towards the waiting ambulance. The lights were blaring blue and white colors rapidly. Two of the paramedics rushed over towards the ambulance. They opened up the doors in the back. Penny could see Thorn sitting in the ambulance. He must have hitched a ride so he could tell the paramedics where to go. He stepped out of the ambulance to make room for when Snap was taken into the vehicle. He was gently lifted into the ambulance.

Thorn came up to Rudy and Penny. "How is your friend?"

Rudy sniffled and lowered his head. "It was awful... He has cuts all over... And Vice was about to rip him open... She performed surgery on him while awake..."

Thorn's eyes widened in horror. "I'm so sorry..." He put a hand on Rudy's shoulder. "I'm sure he'll be okay now, though. He's going to a proper hospital. Try not to worry."

Rudy nodded his head. "I know... I just wish we had gotten to him sooner."

"I thought the same thing when I found Grinder here. I know how you feel, kid." Thorn said. "But there's no changing the past. And at least you're here now."

"Yeah, Rudy. Snap is getting help now. Vice won't be able to hurt him anymore." Penny said, giving him a gentle smile.

Rudy managed a weak smile. "Yeah... And he can start to recover."

Thorn smiled at Rudy. "That's the spirit, kid. It will be a long and hard road, but I'm sure everything will work out. Just be there for him, okay?" Rudy nodded his head, wiping away his tears. Thorn's smile widened a little. He looked at the two children before turning his head back to the hospital. "I'm going to go pick up Grinder and we'll be heading back home. I wish you and your friend the best of luck. Maybe I'll stop by the hospital later on and see how he's doing."

"Okay. Goodbye!" Rudy said, waving goodbye.

"See you later. And thank you!" Penny waved at the human-like zoner.

"You're welcome!" Thorn called out as he rushed towards the abandoned hospital.

The two of them watched for a few seconds as Thorn entered the abandoned hospital. They then turned back towards the ambulance. They rushed towards the open doors and jumped in, aided by the paramedics. They were instructed to sit down and hold onto the seat, warning them that the ride will likely be very bumpy. Snap's stretcher was secured by some strong straps, ensuring that he won't go flying all over the place should the road get exceptionally bumpy.

And soon they were off. The wheels of the ambulance started to turn and Rudy and Penny felt the vehicle start to move. Just like the paramedics said, it was a little bumpy. They hung on as tightly as they cold, feeling themselves jerk backwards, forwards, and from side to side as the ambulance made its way towards the hospital in ChalkZone City. It was a little hard to hang on sometimes, but they were thankful that Snap was strapped securely down. With those injuries, he couldn't afford being flopped around too much.

The paramedics immediately began to check Snap's vitals, such as his heart rate and breathing. They put on an oxygen mask on him to help him breathe more easily. They put in some IVs into him and they asked him some seemingly random questions. It was an attempt to make sure he was alert and didn't suffer any kind of possible brain damage. Even though there was no trauma to his forehead or skull, it was still important to check this sort of stuff out just in case.

The paramedics asked them what they knew had happened to him. They relayed whatever information they could, telling them about the operation when he was awake, the touching of his organs, the fact that he was drugged with something, the injuries, everything they could remember. The paramedics thanked them for the vital information and they turned to work on Snap. With that knowledge now at their disposal, they began to try to offer some relief to Snap. They couldn't do much for him until they got to the hospital, but they could begin some treatment.

They injected him with some morphine to try to take away some of the pain. This brought some relief to Snap and he started to calm down. He was still in some pain, but it wasn't as bad as it was before. The paramedics said they need to check the damage the drugs may have done to him, but they had to wait until they got to the hospital for that. Once they identified the drugs, they could then work towards how to help Snap recover from that, if they need to just wait it out or inject him with an antidote of some kind.

They then worked on his cuts. They couldn't remove the stitches and do them properly, but they did clean them the best they could. Snap whimpered a little as some disinfectant was sprayed on the wounds. They used a warm wash rag and rubbed it over the cuts, taking it easy to try not to cause Snap too much pain. After cleaning the wounds to the best of their ability, they started to work on getting his temperature stabilized.

The paramedics continued treating Snap the best they could as they went towards the hospital. Watching her friend still in pain, seeing his horrible injuries, Rudy and Penny hoped that they would get to the hospital soon. They wanted Snap to start feeling better. They wanted him to be okay. He..he just had to be okay...

He just had to...

sss

Rudy and Penny sat in the waiting room, one of the doctors standing before them. They had been in the hospital for about two hours as Snap was hauled into the emergency room to be looked at. They waited those long, pain staking hours, waiting for any word on their friend. They hardly moved or talked. They just stared at the clock, waiting for someone to come in and talk to them.

Rudy couldn't believe this happened to his best friend. Snap...what had he done to deserve this? Each second that passed felt like an hour. It was a horrible feeling to have to wait for word on how his friend was, not being able to be back there and comfort him. He and Penny tried to go back, but for risk of infection, they had to wait in this room. With how bad his wounds were, the paramedics didn't want to risk anything infecting their friend more than he already was now. They told them that they will have to wait until he's stabilized and treated before they can come see him.

And so they waited quietly. He and Penny sometimes spoke a few words to each other, an attempt to comfort one another during this whole ordeal. But they were mostly quiet, barely saying much in all the time they waited. They were lost in their thoughts, worried for Snap. They cried softly, knowing that their friend had suffered through so much and that there may be other things done to him that they didn't know about. There could be more damage done to him and the injuries that he had now could be more serious. They...they hoped that none of the damage was too serious to be treated... They hoped that Snap would be able to recover just fine from all of this.

When one of the doctors, Dr. Irene, came through the doors, they were instantly on their feet. They stayed where they were, watching in anticipation as the female doctor came up to them, holding a chart in her hands. She looked at them with a solem expression, making Rudy's heart speed up. He began to fear the worst for his friend.

Dr. Irene said, "I will say this right off the bat. Your friend is lucky to be alive."

At this, Rudy winced worriedly. "How...how bad is he...?"

Dr. Irene exhaled slowly, her eyes looking towards the chart papers she was carrying. "Really bad. I can't sugarcoat it in anyway. He's lucky to have survived this long. All of his wounds have become very infected and have been wreaking havoc on his body. The worst infection is where his kidney had been taken out. His stomach, pancreas, and a number of other organs have signs of infection. To make it worse, most of the wounds are at least a day old, some a few days, so the infection had time to fester and spread."

Rudy gasped at this. Penny brought her hand to her mouth, staring at the female doctor in horror. Tears formed in their eyes.

"And unfortunately, that's not all. A lot of his muscles in his arms have been sliced up and, since they weren't properly treated, they will take a while to recover. There is no doubt that, in the case of his left arm, Vice was indeed an expert surgeon; she was precise in her cutting and did a lot more damage than it looks to be. One of his nerves was damaged there as well, sliced part way and causing him a lot of pain." Dr. Irene explained. She flipped through the pages, her eyes skimming up and down to read more of the information recorded. "His right arm looks bad but it isn't as heavily damaged and will recover faster. His cuts have been treated and his achilles tendon has been repaired, but it will still take a long time to recover and unfortunately he must be bed ridden."

Hearing this information caused Rudy and Penny's hearts to ache. Even though he will recover physically from this, just hearing about some of the stuff Vice did, though they knew about it already, was horrible. They could picture it all in their heads. As much as they tried to put it out of their minds, it just wouldn't leave. Tears streamd down their faces.

"A-Anything else?" Penny asked, her voice shaky, clearly afraid to know the answer.

Dr. Irene nodded her head slowly. "I'm afraid so. The drugs he was injected with, they were experimental drugs that were supposed to be kept locked away. And both were suspected to be designed by Vice herself..." She paused for a moment, looking at the horrified children. "Before she went insane that is. The drugs were supposed to be beneficial, but unfortunately she had been misusing them. The repeated use has caused some damage to his nervous system, especially the tranquilizer one she had concocted."

Rudy said in a trembling voice, "I-Is the d-damage...?"

The doctor shook her head. "No. He should be able to recover. But due to this damage, we have to be careful what drugs we give him. We don't want to irritate him more than necessary. We don't want to trigger something with his internal systems that could slow or halt the healing process."

The two children were relieved to hear that the damage wasn't irreversible and that Snap would recover from it in time. It worried them, horrified them, that the drugs were used multiple times. If it was enough to cause some nerve damage, they must have been used a lot, more than the intended usage. They hoped that it wouldn't take him too long to recover from that.

The doctor continued speaking to them. "The other drug messed with his heart rate. It was keeping it beating at a certain speed. An adrenaline-based drug I believe it was. There doesn't seem to be too much damage, but his heart is a little messed up from this and will have to be checked to ensure it'll recover just fine." The doctor paused to glance down at the papers. "And there is...something else. A bit of detail we believe not even you knew. Because how could you have known when your friend couldn't tell you?"

Rudy's heart clenched. It was just as he feared. There was more done to Snap that he and Penny weren't aware of. He and Penny looked at the doctor fearfully, waiting with their minds filled with dread for her to tell them the bad news.

"According to our testing we did on him, your friend has been severely malnourished, but not friend not being fed anything. He has been fed alright, but all the food he was eaten was rotten and has been weakening him further. We've detected some damage caused by that. He hasn't been getting much nutrients and, in an attempt to feed itself, his body started consuming the fat stored in his body. Thankfully it hasn't started cannibalizing itself. He was taken out of that situation before that could happen."

"He was...fed poison?" Penny's eyes widened in horror.

"Well, more or less yes. And we also detected signs of tainted water as well. It did keep him hydrated at least. But it also wreaked havoc on his body, taking away more of his strength." The doctor said, shaking her head sorrowfully. "That dirty food and dirty water he was forced to ingest definitely contributed to him feeling sick. No signs of throwing up, but I have a feeling the drugs given to him somehow prevented that. This may have caused more damage as his body was unable to reject the dangerous food. To try to counteract the damage, we have your friend an IV to deliver much needed nutrients to his body. We can't feed him real food or let him drink yet."

Rudy looked at her sadly. "Because of the neck wound you mean?"

Penny's eyes welled up with tears. "It looked really bad..."

"Indeed it was." Dr. Irene said sadly. "We managed to repair it the best we could, but...there was massive damage done to your friend's vocal cords. Vice was really thorough when she cut them up. Even though they're repaired and stitched back together, there is...a chance that your friend may never speak again." Rudy and Penny gasped in horror at this. "I'm sorry. We're hopeful that he'll recover, but there's still a chance he won't be able to use his vocal cords correctly after this. If that happens, voice prosthesis can be placed in his neck surgically to allow him to speak, if you three decide to have it done. If not, we'll be happy to send you three to a sign language school here so you may have another way of communicating with your friend"

Snap...not being able to talk again? No, that couldn't happen. Not to his friend, no... Please don't let it happen to him. He didn't deserve that... Snap without his voice.. Rudy couldn't picture it. He didn't want to. He hoped, prayed, that Snap would be able to talk again. He just had to... Snap couldn't lose his voice. Things wouldn't be the same... Not being able to hear his friend's voice, no more 'oy caloy' or 'bucko' or 'bucket' or anything.

Snap was a social zoner. It would be devastating to him if he couldn't speak. He loved to talk, loved to communicate and interact with other zoners. If he lost his voice permanently, that would damage him psychologically. It would take a while for him to adapt to that. While they could get used to him not being able to speak, it would...still not be the same. Snap...he could just imagine how heartbreaking it will be to tell him that he might have lost his voice forever. Even with support from his friends, it will still take some time for him to adjust.

Rudy's hatred for Vice started to skyrocket as he and Penny learned more and more about the terrible things she has done to Snap. All those cuts, the surgery on him while awake, feeding him tainted food and water...all in the name of this 'drug high' she mentioned. She was sick... If she was doing this just for this addiction, then she was more of a sick and twisted monster than they could ever have comprehended. And now she may have done permanent damage to his friend. Rudy didn't know what he would do if Snap had to live the rest of his life without being able to talk, all because of what that horrid monster had done to him.

It wasn't just Vice he hated either. There was Sol. He knew much less about him, but what he did know sickened him. He was partnered up with that vile 'doctor' and had helped to harm him. Some of his injuries they saw, on his right side, were caused by that fiend. He was one of the reasons Snap was so hurt and frightened. And what especially boiled Rudy's blood was the fact that Sol was the reason they didn't realize Snap was gone in the first place.

He had...he had disguised himself as Snap... He had pranced around as their friend, decieving them, lying to them... They had comforted that monster, without realizing who he was. They had explored and played games with him. All while thinking he was Snap. But it was all a lie, all a ruse to make sure they did not go around searching for Snap. Had Sol not done that, they would have realized Snap was gone sooner and they would have found him. They could have saved him from this before it got this serious.

But instead, they kept hanging around with Sol, believing he was Snap. It disgusted Rudy that they had shown kindness to that twisted Snip. And when Rudy thought back to the stuff Sol had done, such as swipe Penny's hand away, it made him angrier. Not just at Sol, but at himself. He should have seen the signs. He should have known that Snap would never act like that. They should have captured him and forced him to tell them where the real Snap was. They should have realized he was a fake from the very start, right when he had acted hostile towards Penny initially. That...that should have been their first warning sign that something was not right.

When Penny told Rudy how Sol threatened her in the Light Forest, Rudy got even angrier at the Snip. The stuff Penny described he did, it was creepy and horrible. Those cuts...they had come from Sol. He had cut her. He had harmed his best friend. And when Penny told him that Sol had kissed her on the lips, Rudy was especially freaked out. Sol was one insane zoner, and one heck of a control freak if he did that just to establish control over Penny. If Rudy had been there, he would have made Sol pay for how he treated Penny.

He was glad that both of them survived. As much as he hated them, he would rather them be alive than dead, because that means they can be brought to justice. They would have to face the consequences for what they have done. He had doubts the trial would be anytime soon, especially with how badly injured Vice was. It wouldn't really be practical. But when it did happen, he would be there. He would make sure that they're both locked away for a long time. They would not hurt his friend anymore. Not while he had anything to say about it.

"When can we see him?" Penny asked, staring pleadingly at the doctor. "Please..we want to see him."

"We don't want to leave without paying him a visit." Rudy said. "He's our best friend..."

Dr. Irene stared at the two children. She furrowed her eyes with concern. She looked down the hallway. "At the moment, now isn't a good time. He is still being worked on. And after that, he'll need to rest. But..." She turned and looked back at the two. "If you want, when he's in the recovery room, you may visit him as long as you are quiet and don't excite him too much. He needs to sleep."

Rudy felt his eyes fill with tears. "I don't think he has slept at all while he was with that monster."

Dr. Irene nodded in agreement. "You'd be right about that. Brain scans indicate he hasn't really slept. Maybe knocked out, but not actual sleep. He definitely needs some sleep, but with the pain that he's in, that'll be difficult. So we're going to inject him with a very powerful painkiller into his spine, stronger than morphine. It should be strong enough to block out all pain senses for several hours. We usually don't do this, but in your friend's case, it's important he gets some sleep, and this is the best way he'll be able to."

Rudy was relieved that the doctors had something to take the pain away for Snap. It didn't mean that his friend could move around and do whatever he wanted. With that damage to his body, he still needed to lay down and rest. But at least he'll have an easier time sleeping when the pain was temporarily removed.

"When will he be in the recovery room?" Rudy asked.

Dr. Irene looked up at the clock. "I would say another hour or two, if all goes well." She looked back at the two kids. "I'll come back in that time and take you to him. Okay?"

Rudy and Penny nodded in understanding. They watched as Dr. Irene disappeared down the hallway again. The two friends sat back down, falling silent just like before. They waited for the hours to pass so they could speak with Snap before they left. They had to see him again. They couldn't leave without talking to him.

With all that he's been through, Snap needed them now more than ever.


	20. Recovery Commencing

It seemed like it took forever, but the two hours had finally passed by. Dr. Irene returned like she said she would. She lead them down the hallway towards the recovery room Snap was put in. As they walked through, Rudy and Penny did their best to ignore the smells of the hospital. The scent was a little similar to the fake hospital they were in hours before, and the smells, if they thought about them too much, made them remember that place in horrific detail. They couldn't think about that right now.

It didn't take too long to get to the room Snap was in. It was in one of the rooms further down from the surgery room, to the left and near the back end. Dr. Irene walked them over, not leaving their side until they got to the door. Dr. Irene went up to the door and opened it up slowly. She made a gesture with her hand to walk right in. Rudy and Penny wasted no time in doing this. And when they walked in, they were horrified by what they saw.

There lay Snap, flat on his back in the hospital bed. Various IVs were put into his arm, fluids being pumped into his body. A heart monitor and other machinery were hooked up to him. A breathing mask was in place, covering much of his face. The covers were pulled partway up his body, his arms laying on their sides. His eyes were open wide, looking both weak and very scared. There was a slight trembling to his body and his face looked pale, despite his face already being white.

His arms did look much better from the last time they saw them. The previous stitches were removed and the wounds were cleaned up and disinfected further. There was less swelling than from before. The arms were restitched, this time properly, protecting them from further infection.

Snap wasn't alone in the room. There was another doctor in here. A male one this time named Dr. Dennison, who appeared to be a skunk zoner, was starting to bandage up his arm. The male doctor took notice of the two children and he nodded his head, allowing them to come closer. Rudy and Penny watched as Dr. Dennison, very carefully, wrapped Snap's right arm up in flexible, beige-colored bandages. He then proceeded to the left one. It was difficult for him to bandage the arm without Snap whimpering in pain. He still managed to do it and soon both the arms were bandaged up completely.

Dr. Dennison took a step back and looked at Rudy and Penny. "That takes care of his bandages for now. They'll have to be changed later, but he needs his rest now."

"Yeah, we know." Penny said softly. She looked over at Snap sadly. He was looking at her, at Rudy. "We want to be with him for a while, if that's okay."

Dr. Dennison looked over at Dr. Irene, who still stood in the doorway. She nodded her head. "I told them they could."

"Okay then. Just don't stay too long. We would like for him to get some sleep." Dr. Dennison said.

"Okay." Rudy said, not taking his eyes off of Snap.

Dr. Dennison walked away from the bed, giving Rudy and Penny room to come up to their friend. The skunk doctor gave a nod to Dr. Irene before he headed out the door. Dr. Irene looked back at the children. She started to walk away as well, but then stopped. She looked back at the children and headed towards them. Rudy and Penny watched as she went over to the tray not too far from Snap's bed. She picked up what appeared to be a long needle. Snap's eyes widened and his trembling increased.

Dr. Irene walked up to the two, standing next to Penny. She showed them the needle, letting them get a nice long look at it. She examined it herself, as if she was checking to make sure the right amount of...whatever it was, was is in there. Once she appeared satisfied, she looked down at Penny, who was the closest one to her.

"This is that painkiller I told you about. I would like you or your friend over there to inject him with this." Dr. Irene said. Noting the children's confused expressions, she proceeded to explain. "Your friend, during the time he was conscious, was very scared. He didn't struggle or anything, but his heart was racing, panicking. He was shaking so hard...poor thing..." She shook her head slowly.

Penny gasped at this. Rudy shook his head in disbelief. Penny looked down at Snap, her eyes watering. She felt so bad for him. He looked so scared, so frightened. She wished she could do something to help him feel better. That stay in that horrid hospital... It was so mentally scarring for him. He had been put through so much, and in a place that was supposed to help people.

And now here he was, back in a hospital. And though this was a real one, poor Snap must be having horrible flashbacks to that dreadful place. She could see the terror filling up in his eyes. No doubt he was remembering some of the gruesome things he was put through at that so-called 'hospital'. That prison mockery of a hospital where he was forced to watch Sol fool them all, where Vice performed a surgery on him while he was awake...

Those two were monsters. They were truly despicable zoners. Harming an innocent zoner like that... Disgusting... Snap never did anything to deserve such a thing to happen to him. He never earned such cruelty. She was glad those two were being taken care of as she spoke. They would not be able to hurt her friend ever again. And at least now Snap was safe, in a real hospital where he could recover.

She just hoped he would be able to relax a little. She could see him shake harder as the seconds passed. His eyes shifted all around, first focusing on his friend, then the doctor, then the needle, then back to his friends. She was aware that Snap was injected with drugs more than once, so the sight of needles must frighten him. She couldn't blame him. The drugs had done some harm to him, and they surely theren't used to help him in anyway. Even if the drugs were beneficial if used right, she had no doubt that Vice used them to help her further bring harm to her friend.

Dr. Irene spoke again, drawing Penny out of her thoughts. "He needs to relax, but he hasn't been able to do that. We know it's because of the mental scarring he suffered while captured by Dr. Vice. He was kept in that abandoned hospital for days, so it's understandable that he'd be uncomfortable in this one."

"Why was that hospital abandoned?" Rudy asked. His hand was clasped around Snap's.

Dr. Irene closed her eyes softly. "I'm not entirely sure. You'll have to wait for the police to report their findings after they do their sweep of the area. I'm sure they'll find something." She reopened her eyes and looked down towards Snap. "With how frightened he is, it will be tricky getting the needle in the right place. He needs to be relaxed...but he doesn't really fully trust any one on the staff. He always shows fear to me and the other doctors." As if on cue, Snap looked up at her and started whining softly. "See? With that shaking, we could end up doing more damage if we inject him with the painkiller ourselves."

Penny looked down at Snap worriedly. If he couldn't get the painkiller into his body, how was he going to get to sleep? Pain must be erupting all over his body right now. His arms were horrifically cut up. Even with them properly treated, she could still he was still in great pain. There was no way he could get any kind of rest or sleep this way.

She glanced over at Rudy. He was fighting back tears as he peered down at Snap. He held his hand up, being careful not to hurt him. He ran his hand along the top of his, whispering soft words to Snap. She couldn't hear them, but she could tell they were words of comfort. Snap appeared to get a little bit more relaxed as Rudy comforted him.

"He's relaxing a little now." Penny said softly, giving a small smile, happy to know that Snap got a bit of relief, even if it wasn't much.

Dr. Irene nodded, smiling as well. "Yes, that's exactly what I wanted to talk to you kids about." She looked down at Penny and handed her the needle. "I want you to give him the shot."

Penny blinked at her in surprise. "Me?"

The doctor nodded her head a few times. "Yes. He's more relaxed around you two. You and Rudy over there help him feel safe. Your presence appears to calm him. His trust might have been heavily damaged, but he still completely trusts you two." She glanced over at Snap. "I think it stands to reason that he would feel better if you or Rudy were the ones who gave him the shot. He knows you won't hurt him, so he'll relax more."

"Where would I...?" Penny asked.

Dr. Irene reached over. Snap started to tremble and whimper. Being very careful, Dr. Irene lifted him up, bending him over a little to show his back. His hospital gown opened in the back and they got a good look at his bare back. Dr. Irene gently pressed a finger against the middle, where his back started to arch a little. "Inject it around here. It will be the easiest to get to. Just push the needle until it's about a centimeter in and push the top part down very slowly."

Penny took a good look at his back. She noted the location in the back of her mind. She stared at it until she could recite the location in her head. She hoped she would be able to do it. She never injected something like this into a person's back before. It was quite risky and one wrong move, she could end up hurting Snap more.

She wondered if it was a smart thing, having them inject Snap with the needle. The last thing she wanted to do was cause Snap more pain and problems than what he was already suffering. Her mom was a vet, yes, but that didn't make her, despite being her daughter, a genius at this sort of thing. She still had a lot to learn, and trying to use stuff like needle was very dangerous for those who didn't know what they were doing. Maybe it was best if Dr. Irene put it in instead. She would know what she was doing.

"Maybe you should put it in first?" Penny suggested. "That way, I'll know how to put it in? I...never done anything like this before..."

Dr. Irene stared at her. "Okay, that sounds like a good idea." She turned her attention to Snap. "We don't want to slip up on this." She took the needle from Penny and brought it over to Snap's back. "Pay close attention now."

Snap trembled as the needle was brought closer to his back. In an effort to calm him down, Rudy and Penny held Snap's hands in theirs, gently caressing them. They spoke to him soft and gently, begging him to remain calm. Snap was really frightened, tears dripping down his eyes. But at his friends' touch and words, he started to calm down and his trembling slowly stopped. They continued talking gently to him as the needle was pressed against his back. Then, slowly, it was pushed in.

Snap's eyes opened wide and he let out a cry of pain. Rudy and Penny's hearts clenched and they held onto his hand tighter. They spoke to him more and more, trying, hearts beating faster, to keep him from moving around too much. Snap did struggle a little, trying to get away from the pain, but he soon remained mostly still, despite the pain in his back. Dr. Irene slowly pushed the liquid into his back, taking her time. Snap's eyes shut tightly, tears flowing down his cheek. Soon it was all over, and she pulled the needle out.

Rudy's eyes were on Snap the whole time, filled with concern. Penny kept her attention on the needle, taking note of where it should be placed, how deeply, and what speed to push the fluid in. Once she made a mental note of that, she looked over at Snap. Her heart tightening at the sight of his sobbing face, she reached over and gently placed a hand on his cheek, caressing it. Snap looked over at her and attempted to speak again, but all that would come out were soft, pained sounds.

Dr. Irene gently laid Snap back down, doing whatever she could to avoid aggravating his injuries more. She took the used needle and tossed it in the trash can nearby. She looked down at Snap sympathetically, her eyes soft with sadness. "That should do it." She said. "The painkiller should kick in soon, a few minutes. Soon, your friend shouldn't be able to feel any pain for a few hours. He'll still have his sense of touch; his pain receptors will just be blocked for a time." She looked at Rudy and Penny, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Make sure he doesn't try to get up once it kicks in. He must remain still on the bed and get some rest."

"We understand." Rudy said, nodding his head. "Thanks for your help. We appreciate it."

The doctor smiled at this. "You're welcome. I'll leave you alone with your friend now. He needs your support." She started to walk towards the door. She stopped and looked back at them. "If you want your friend to be relocated after he recovers a little, we'll be glad to do that. Maybe have him stay at a friend's place will help him recover mentally."

"Yeah, that sounds good." Penny said.

"We'll talk it out with each other." Rudy said. "We'll come find you afterwards."

"Okay then." Dr. Irene headed towards the door. "I'll give you three some privacy." She walked out of the door and shut the door behind her, leaving the trio alone in the hospital room.

Rudy and Penny turned their attention back to their friend. His face was still contorted in pain. Penny understood why. He was just injected with something into his spine. That's not a pleasant experience. She was glad that he was able to be relaxed enough, even during that, to hold still. She knew it was because she and Rudy were here to support him and comfort him. He felt safe with them there, and that helped him fight against the pain enough to remain still during the process.

Slowly, as the minutes passed, Snap's pained expression began to soften up. His eyes became more relaxed, as well as his facial features. His body started to relax and soon his heart rate and breathing rate were back to normal. Penny knew the painkiller had kicked in. She and Rudy were so relieved that, finally after all this time, Snap got some relief from the pain, even if it wasn't going to last him forever. Now Snap could really relax.

Penny was glad that, despite the pain being removed, Snap was smart enough to remain on the bed and not move around too much. That would have irritated his injuries and damage them further. Snap remained still on the back, not moving his arms despite not feeling any pain in them right now. He took in a few breaths, his chest rising and falling slowly, rhythmnically. His expression remained soft and relaxed, a nice refreshing change from the pain and fear-filled looks he was giving them before. It was a relief that, finally, he could get some peace of mind.

Despite his relaxed expression, Penny knew that Snap really didn't want to be here. The biggest reason why he appeared relaxed, other than the painkiller that was injected into him, was the fact that she and Rudy were here. They couldn't remain here forever, though. They had time to visit him, but soon they would have to go back. Snap wasn't going to like it when they left him, but she hoped that, thanks to the painkillers, he would be able to get some rest. He certainly needed it after what the poor guy had been through.

She thought about what the doctor had said before, regarding relocating Snap. That did sound like a really good idea. Putting Snap in a familiar location that wasn't a hospital, such as his home or a friend's, would help him relax more mentally. The familiarity would be a nice change, more comforting. She knew that Rudy would agree that relocating Snap would be the best idea. They couldn't do it tonight, though. They would have to wait until tomorrow to get everything planned out. There wasn't enough time to go find someone to take Snap in tonight. And she did think that the doctors did want Snap staying at least the first couple nights before being transferred.

There were two obvious choices for Snap to go to. Rapsheeba and Blocky. Both of them were really good friends of Snap's and she was certain both would be willing to take him in and watch over him while he recovers. As for which one he'd stay with, Penny wasn't sure. Both were good choices. It was going to be hard to choose just one. Maybe Rudy could give her some ideas.

She and Rudy remained by Snap's side. He looked really tired, but he was staying awake for the time being. He looked at her and Rudy, still looking immensely relieved even after all this time had passed. She didn't blame him. He did almost die back there. If she and Rudy had just been a few minutes late, Snap could have bled to death. The thought frightened her and she tried not to think about it.

"It'll be okay, Snap...you'll get better soon..." Penny said softly.

"I know it'll be a long and tough recovery but you can do it, Snap." Rudy said, a few tears forming in his eyes. "You...you just have to... I believe in you..."

When Snap tried to speak to them again, only to produce a few squeaks, Rudy and Penny felt their hearts break. It was so hard for them to see Snap like this. Every time he tried to speak, it filled them with more sadness. Snap really wanted to talk to them. They were his best friends. And he couldn't do anything except make small sounds. He couldn't even say simple words like 'no' or 'yes'. When the paramedics asked him questions, they could only do 'yes' or 'no', since Snap could answer those by nod or shake of the head.

She wished Snap could speak. She wanted to hear him speak. She wanted to hear his voice. She didn't want to believe that she might never hear it again. She hoped that his voice will return soon. She hoped that the damage was not irreversible. She didn't want Snap to be a mute for the rest of his life. And considering he was a zoner, unless he was killed, that was going to be forever.

"I...I don't want to lose you, Snap..." Rudy said, more tears flowing down his face. "I love you..."

Penny said, "And I love you, too, Snap..." She sniffled, letting her own tears fall. "Please don't leave us..."

At this, Snap smiled at them. This lifted up their spirits a little. Snap showing any kind of happiness in spite of the torment he went through was a good sign. The fact that he could show any happiness was a miracle unto itself, and it was a sign that his mental state was starting to heal a little. He still had a long way to go, but it's still a start.

Snap opened up his mouth. Penny thought he was going to try to talk again, but this time, he did something different. He started to mouth words. Rudy and Penny watched as he started to mouth one phrase, one line. And when they realized what he was trying to say, their hearts swelled with emotion.

He was mouthing the phrase 'Love you guys, too'.

At this, more tears moved down their faces, but instead of sad tears, these were tears of happiness. They took in a few shaky breaths, small smiles appearing on their faces. They wiped away their tears.

Rudy said, "Soon, you'll be out of this hospital and back to exploriating like you always love to do."

"Yeah." Penny said. "Wouldn't that be great?"

Slowly, Snap nodded his head. At this, Rudy and Penny's smiles broadened. They would have loved to talk to him more, but right now, he needed his rest. Snap needed to go to sleep so he can start really recovering. Him not getting any proper sleep for days was definitely worrying. He needed the rest and fast.

"Please try to sleep, Snap." Penny said gently. "You need your rest."

Snap's eyes widened a little. He shook his head slowly. Penny bit her lip. Poor Snap... His stay with Dr. Vice had been even more traumatizing than she thought. She wished she could ask him more of what she did, but he was in no condition to tell her. With his vocal cords and arms damaged, he hardly had a means of communicating with them.

"Come on, Snap. Penny's right. You've got to sleep." Rudy said. When Snap shook his head again and let out a small whimper, Rudy's expression became even more sad. He paused, trying to think of what to say to his friend. "We'll stay with you for a while as you sleep. Would that help you feel better?"

"We'll stay by your side until we have to go back home." Penny said.

Snap stared at Rudy and Penny. He nodded his head and mouthed the word 'please'. Rudy and Penny moved themselves even closer to Snap, going as far as the bed would allow them. Snap looked comforted by their presence. Penny reached down and placed her hand on his undamaged shoulder. She gently rubbed and caressed it. Her other hand reached for his hand. She placed it over his, holding it tightly but gently. Rudy held onto Snap's other hand, his free one running along the top of Snap's head soothingly.

These gestures helped relax Snap even more. Minutes passed and Snap's breathing slowed down a little as he was getting more and more relaxed. His eyes started to flutter. This didn't last too long and soon they were shut completely. Lightly, not tight in pain like they had been before. His breathing became a tad slower still, his heart monitor beeping a little less frequently.

Rudy kept stroking Snap's head while Penny kept rubbing his shoulder. Snap kept his eyes closed and his breathing became calmer and more relaxed. Soon, Snap had fallen asleep completely, his head lolling to the side, his mouth partially open. They smiled down at him, continuing their gestures for a few minutes before they pulled away. Snap looked so peaceful sleeping. If they didn't know any better, it was like nothing was wrong with him at all. They were happy that, at last, he could some some real, painless rest, not the forced rest from whatever drugs that monster of a unicorn had put into him.

Penny turned her attention to Rudy. "I think we should talk to the doctors soon about relocating him."

Rudy nodded his head in agreement. "Getting out of this hospital would be a good idea." He turned to look at Penny. "But it would need to be after a few days. I'd rather he get some treatment first and recover here for a while." He looked back down at Snap. "When the worst is out of the way, then we can relocate him to either Rapsheeba's or Blocky's."

"Yeah, I was thinking of those two myself." Penny said. "I don't know whose house he should go to. I was hoping you'll have an idea."

"Not at the moment, but we'll think of something." Rudy ran his hand along Snap's forehead. "We'll think of something..."

"I know we will..." Penny said.

She and Rudy looked down at Snap. They watched him as he slept. Yes, they would figure something out for him soon. They would talk to Rapsheeba and Blocky and figure out where he'll go and arrangements for Snap. But for now, Snap needed his rest.


	21. Slow Process

It had been about a month since Snap was first brought to the hospital. Two weeks... It felt so much longer to Rudy. Each day that went by felt like it took generations to pass. It was hard for him and Penny to come into ChalkZone everyday and see their friend in that horrible condition. Sometimes he would dream that things were okay, only to wake up to cruel reality. He would be instantly reminded of the terrible wounds his friend recieved, and how they would take a long time to heal completely.

Snap was at least recovering pretty well. It was a slow and steady pace. Each day, he got a little better and the pain became a little easier to manage. The doctors didn't want them injecting the painkiller every time he started regaining his sense of pain. As hard as it was for them, they couldn't help Snap get rid of the pain, even if he begged them to. It was only during times when Snap was sleepy and wanted rest would the doctors permit the use of the painkiller. Their concern was that if he was injected too much, he might develop a resistance and it wouldn't work as well.

Inserting the painkiller was always a real 'joy'. It wasn't a pleasurable experience and none of the trio enjoyed it very much. Rudy would hold Snap up while Penny injected the painkiller into his spine. And everytime they did this, they felt very guilty. The needle going into the spine caused a lot of pain, and that was the last thing Snap needed to feel right now. Rudy and Penny both felt horrible whenever they helped each other inject the painkiller into him. He would scream, cry out in pain, and be overall in distress.

However, Rudy did feel the doctor was right that it was best that they were the ones giving him the painkiller. Snap trusted them and didn't struggle as much against them because he knew they weren't deliberately trying to hurt him. Compared to the doctors trying to insert the needle, Snap was downright docile with him and Penny. If a doctor tried it, Snap would either whimper or growl, or both. If Penny or him did it, he was quieter. He'd still show fear, but he wouldn't try to defend himself because he trusted them.

The doctors weren't sure how long the painkiller would be used on him. Rudy hoped it would be until regular over-the-counter medications would be enough to fight off the pain. With all that Vice had done to him, he doubted that Snap's pain would significantly die down for a long time.

Snap's physical state was getting better. The wounds were healing up nicely. They still caused Snap a lot of pain and discomfort and he couldn't move very well still. That was to be expected, especially for the wound on his stomach. That was his deepest flesh wound as a result of Vice performing surgery on him while awake. The wounds had to be cleaned every day, and it was not a pleasant experience for Snap. Even worse when they were cleaned while they were away. Without his friends to comfort him, enduring the hospital was a lot harder. Rudy and Penny did what they could to be with him during much of the treatments. The doctors didn't want him going anywhere until his flesh wounds were no longer potentially life threatening and when his fever and infection go away.

Slowly, the wounds did start to properly close up, creating dark red scabs all along his skin. Thin but still noticeable. Cleaning them was soon not a big concern. They were still washed, but disinfecting them wasn't needed as much as the wounds completely closed up. However, the internal damage still took a while. The muscles that were sliced up were taking a while to heal due to the extensive damage done to them. The worse were any areas that they suspected Vice had cut. With her being a surgeon, these areas were cut in a way to deal the most damage.

The doctors were confident that Snap's injuries would heal completely in time. The prognosis on that was looking good. He was making great progress, albeit slow and steady, every day. There hadn't been any indication of Snap needing a more effective treatment or getting worse. His fever had gone down. There was still worry of infection, however, so he had to continue taking medication until the doctors were certain the infection had been vanquished.

His mental state was a different story. Mental wounds were often the hardest to heal, and in Snap's case, that was definitely correct. Rudy thought about how horrible it must have been for Snap, being stuck there, knowing that his friends didn't know of his whereabouts and uanble to warn them...poor guy had been through a lot. Tormented both phyhsically and mentally. He must have felt so helpless during all that time. He must have felt so frightened... This made him wish that he did move faster, that maybe he could have saved his friend from this horrid fate.

Well he's at least in the hospital now. He is able to help him and comfort him now. He can do something for Snap, not like before where he had no idea where Snap really was. He and Penny did whatever they could to help Snap recover. Penny said it would take a long time for Snap to rebound from the mental trauma, and that they should be prepared just in case he never returns back to the way he was.

The idea of Snap changing permanently did scare Rudy. It was like he was losing a part of his best friend. He hated to think of Snap losing half of himself all because of some crazed zoner that decided to do harm towards him, even though he hadn't done a damn thing to her... It was sickening. And what if Sol? What purpose could he possibly have? Rudy wanted to find out more about this Sol character. He would in time, when the trial would commence.

He had some idea of what went on Vice's mind. She was a brain damaged psychopath who kills for fun all because of some weird addiction. She would kill anyone. He bet that she would have even killed her own partner, Sol. On the other hand, he knew so little about Sol. The only thing he could gather is that he had a grudge against him and Snap. But why? Sol had refused to tell him. Rudy couldn't fathom what went on in that zoner's head. He had no idea why Sol would do so much and go so far just to get to him and Snap, and why. Rudy had met a lot of Snips and none of them were as mentally disturbed as Sol had been.

A clear sign of Snap having a lot of psychological damage came in the form of just how he interacted in the hospital, even when they were there. He was always scared, no matter what. On some level, he was frightened. The painkillers helped relax him a little, but most of the time, he was scared and wanted to leave. Unfortunately, he could not until his wounds healed enough, and when he could eat again. Snap would freeze and shiver at the sight of any doctor that came in, including the ones that were doing most of his treatments. It was almost like he didn't recognize them, and he would get defensive at times, baring his teeth and growling like a cornered dog. He was usually more relaxed if Rudy, Penny, Rapsheeba, or Blocky were with him.

Snap growling like that was a worrying sign. He had been doing that since they found him, the first time being when the paramedics tried to help him. Snap wasn't one to growl warningly like that towards anyone. He wasn't a dog or anything. Penny suggested, much to her discomfort, that Snap must have been rendered so helpless that growling was one of his only ways of defending himself. And it made sense. Vice and Sol had been absolutely horrible to him. Snap becoming more defensive, even in an animalistic way, was an understandable reaction.

Snap got a little better as time went on, but the growling and snarling was still more or less prevelent. The doctors weren't too concerned about it. They felt that he would recover mentally faster once he was moved into Rapsheeba's home. After speaking, they all agreed that was the best place for Snap to go. He was to be moved there as soon as possible. Rapsheeba would be given instructions on how to continue the treatment after Snap arrives at her place. Whenever possible, Rudy, Penny, and Blocky would come by to help out taking care of Snap.

When Snap's physical wounds healed enough, the stitches were removed. It was not a comfortable sensation for Snap and he'd wince as each one was taken out. His friends were there every step of the way and they comforted him the best they could as the stitches were taken out. When all the stitches were removed, they were able to clearly see the marks on Snap's arms, showing the exact path that Vice and Sol had cut their friend. It was a horrible sight, one that, thankfully, would fade slowly in time.

It wasn't until Snap was eventually relocated into Rapsheeba's New Place that they found evidence of another mental scar. With Snap's wounds healed enough and no longer need to be washed every day, his costume was put back on him, a pleasant change from when he was wearing just the hospital gown. Or so they thought. They realized, as Snap was placed in Rapsheeba's room on a nice, soft bed, that putting on his costume opened up another can of worms with the mental scarring. Rapsheeba was the first to notice it and she had told the other three. They had a hard time believing it, but when they came and saw it for themselves, they were shocked.

Snap had become terrified of his own reflection. Every time he saw himself in the mirror, he'd shiver in fright, whimpering softly. There were times where he'd try to outright attack the mirror in a show of terror and self defense. The only thing stopping him is his damaged right leg, which still hadn't healed enough for him to walk effectively. It was so bad that Rapsheeba had to move the mirror out of the room completely. Keeping it in the room became too problematic.

Rudy and Penny realized that it might have been Sol who caused this scar. He had been masquerading around as him. Had he done something horrible to Snap while looking just like him? Penny believed that to be the case. He had done some terrible and creepy things to her while looking and sounding just like Snap, including when he kissed her. And he was still in his Snap disguise when he attempted to hurt Penny again in front of Rudy. Neither of them would put it past Sol to do something even worse to Snap while looking just like him.

They wanted to help Snap conquer his fear of the mirror. They weren't sure how to start, other than they wanted to do it through baby steps. Snap still couldn't use his arms that well, even after a month. So they couldn't use their initial idea and bring in at least one somewhat reflective object per day. Snap could drink now on his own, but though Rudy could draw something slightly reflective, they felt it was best not to try drawing a semi reflective glass for Snap until he's recovered from his fear a little more. They were worried that, if Snap freaked out while drinking, he could accidentally choke.

Eating was still a little bit of a problem. It was manageable, at least. Swallowing food still caused some pain. It didn't hurt as much, or at least it didn't look like it did. Snap was handling it better than he would have had he tried to eat while his throat was still slashed up like it had been. Though Snap could eat solid food now, they still kept it pretty small. They only fed him soft foods that wouldn't irritate his throat injury. It wasn't much, but it was an upgrade from the IV packs he was forced to endure at the hospital. Simple things like applesauce made up the bulk of his diet for now. Penny told Rudy they shouldn't try harder foods until more of the pain went away.

Rudy was grateful that Rapsheeba and Blocky were there to take care of Snap when he and Penny weren't in ChalkZone. They had arranged things so that Snap was never left alone. Rapsheeba and Blocky would take turns watching him if one of them had to be somewhere and couldn't cancel. Other times, they were with Snap together, helping each other to feed him and take care him. And of course, Rapsheeba was there with him when it was time to sleep. Snap had shown signs that he wanted one of his friends to sleep in the bed with him to help him feel safer, but until he had healed more, that was too risky. He did at least feel comforted knowing there was someone in the room with him.

Rapsheeba told them about the times when Snap would wake up screaming. She'd jump out of bed and go over towards him. He would be tossing and turning in his best, trying to get away from some unseen force. The nightmare he was experiencing was so bad that Snap's mind was telling him to get away. Rudy had some ideas on what the nightmare was about. Vice and Sol doing something horrible, he was sure.

The female zoner would do whatever she could to help calm him. She would touch his shoulders and shake him until he woke up. Sometimes her touch would cause him to cringe and cry, or even retaliate if he felt particularly threatened. When he opened his eyes and realized it was just Rapsheeba, he would calm down, though he'd still stare up at her in fright. Rapsheeba would stay with him until he fell asleep again.

Rudy was worried about how frightened Snap had gotten. He wished he could do something to help him feel better. He hated seeing Snap like this, a broken shell of his former self. He hoped that there wasn't everlasting psychological damage. He hoped that, one day, Snap would be able to return to his old self. He missed how Snap was before this incident. He wanted to see Snap happy, smiling, and he knew the others felt the same way. They did their best to support him, but they could only do so much. Snap would never fully recover until he is able to face his fears and try to conquer them.

Rudy wished that he and the others could speak to Snap about what happened. He wished they could carry out a conversation with their friend, ask him what happened, to talk about how he felt and feels now. He wanted to badly to talk to Snap. Well he could, but only he would be doing the talking. He wanted to hear Snap talk. It wasn't enough if Snap gained enough use back in his arms to write. He wanted to hear Snap's voice. He wanted to hear him say something, anything.

But he knew that wasn't going to happen. And if it were, it won't be for a while still. Snap's vocal cords were still healing. Snap had tried to speak a few times, only for him to be wracked in pain. He had tried talking when the painkiller was put in, but even without feeling pain, it was still difficult to accomplish. He hadn't been able to utter a single word, much to their dismay. They were hopeful that, as time went on, Snap would be able to speak, but, at the moment, it was anyone's guess.

It was weird and sad that Snap still couldn't speak. It was weird because they weren't used to being in the same room as him and not hearing that Boston accent voice talking back to them. And it was sad because they knew the reason that he wasn't speaking was due to something that wasn't his fault. That vile unicorn and that evil Snip partner of hers had done this to him. He hadn't done a blasted thing to them and they still hurt him badly. Taking away his voice was just one of the many things they did to him. Rudy hoped that both of them would recieve the justice they so richly deserved.

Speaking of those two, the police they had spoken to a few times over the month told them what they learned during their investigation. They didn't learn too much at first. It took a few visits to the abandoned hospital as well as poking around in other areas for them to get a solid idea on who Vice and Sol were and if they were wanted anywhere else. They also learned about the hospital Vice used and why it was abandoned. The information that the police gave them was both insightful and unnerving for Rudy, Penny, Rapsheeba, and Blocky. If Snap were awake during the discussion, the police were courteous enough to speak about it in another room.

It was during this time that Rudy and the others learned that Vice really was brain damaged. There were hidden documents in the abandoned hospital detailing a horrific accident involving the black unicorn. Most of the documents were hard to read, so the full details were never revealed. But the one thing that is mentioned is that something sharp went through her skull, skewering her brain and altering her personality, which may be responsible for her obsession with organs. However, being brain damaged was not an excuse for how she treated her friend. She still had control over her actions. She could have stopped. The fact that she did not was her choice, and hers alone.

The hospital itself had a darker story than they had expected. It turned out the whole hospital itself was a victim, in a way. And it turned out this was where the accident took place. Vice was still crazy even before her brain was damaged. At least, during that one short time frame when she started to think it was a good idea to expose ChalkZone. She was arguing with some of the doctors, and one thing led o another and...well again the full details weren't revealed, so a number of things could have happened. But the general consenses is that Vice lost her temper and caused an explosion of some kind and...well she's like this now and the hospital was abandoned.

It wasn't abandoned just because of the explosion and few injured staff that came of it. No, it was abandoned because Vice accidentally set off a smoke of poison cloud into the air. Many doctors and patients died because of this. The survivors managed to relocate and Vice was taken to a hospital to treat her head injury. Due to the poisonous gas that hung in the air for a long time, the hospital had to be abandoned.

And Vice was using that same location to torture innocent victims...how disgusting. It was unknown why she chose that location. Maybe she felt some kind of bizarre connection to it. Maybe she felt it was the place of her 'birth', so to speak. She had taken the time to clean up the place. But she only cleaned up rooms she knew or felt she was going to use. Much of the building was still in disrepair. Only areas she considered 'vital' would be cleaned and spruced up.

As the police were tell them this, they felt more and more unnerved. And that didn't even touch upon the drugs she experimented with. Nor does to touch upon how many vicitms there had been. Both of these facts swirled in their heads, causing cold chills to run up and down their spine.

During the course of Vice's insanity run, there had been no less than one hundred victims. Rudy felt a lump on his throat as he let that sink in. One hundred victims...with Snap being just the latest victim. It was a lot to take in. The realization that so many zoners had been tortured and killed by this monster made Rudy feel absolutely horrible. Just...just where had he been during all of this? How did he not notice any of this going on? Why did it take so long for something to be done? Penny, Blocky, and Rapsheeba assured him it wasn't his fault, and Snap, despite not be able to talk, seemed to side with them. Despite their assurance, Rudy still felt like he should have done..something..about what was going on.

The details of the victims were very gruesome, something that Rudy didn't think he could get out of his head for a long time. How they found Boorat...that was how a majority of the victims were, except with the skin hardened and in many places not even there anymore. Decomposition had settled in and may of the victims were almost, or completely, skeletons. They were placed in the abandoned parts of the hospital, which didn't surprise Rudy as not many would venture into those sections. The strong smells they whiffed when in there, some of it was Vice trying to mask the smell of rotting flesh, maybe just in case someone had stumbled upon the place and she wanted to lower their guards.

There were multiple storage rooms where the organs were kept. All of them were kept in something filled with liquid, usually a jar, though some were in simple plastic bags. All of them were labeled, which was how the police knew about how many victims there were. There were so many victims, they stopped losing track about about one hundred.

One of the organs they found was Snap's kidney. This was found very early on and brought to the hospital while Snap was still there. There was a talk with the doctors about whether or not it could be placed back in Snap or if it was too late. The doctors examined the kidney and determined that it was, surprisingly, still in good shape. But they decided to wait until Snap had recovered before they attempted to put it back in. They didn't feel now was the right time, when he was still recooperating from the surgical torture he was put through. They were worried that it might send him back mentally, as it would bring about renewed intense pain in the same spot were he was cut open.

The drugs they found strewn about the place was chilling as well. Some of the drugs, Vice got herself. They were either hard to find or from a black market of sorts. The drugs had some unwanted side effects and was deemed too dangerous to use on a regular basis. There were a ton of these in the abandoned hospital and, from the looks of it, she was using it on most of her victims. Rudy and the others realized just how lucky Snap was to not have to endure the majority of these drugs. They would have caused a lot more damage to him, which was the last thing he needed.

A few drugs were stuff she created herself. Vice had enough intelligence and know-how regarding drugs that she could create some herself. Experimental drugs that she loved testing out on victims, particularly small ones like Snap, according to the police officers' findings. When Snap's blood was tested for the presence of these drugs, they found a match and were able to identify just what was put into him. The majority of the findings pointed to two drugs in particular, both they suspect Vice created, as they hadn't seen drugs like these before.

One of them, and the most prominent, was something that acted sort of like a tranquilizer. It slowed the reaction times and drained strength. The police suspect that she used this drug to help her force feed Snap the rotten food. The slowed reaction times didn't affect Snap's ability to swallow, but it did prevent his stomach from rejecting the rotten food, which was why he never threw up during his stay. It wasn't that he could stomach that food. Nobody could. It was because he literally could not get it out of his system.

The other drug used was used less often, thankfully. It had the opposite effect of the tranquilizer-type drug. It was sort of like adrenaline. It had been injected into Snap to prevent his heart from slowing down past a certain point. It didn't speed up the heart unless it wasn't beating at the rate Vice engineered it for. It was believed that this was how Snap was forced to stay awake during the surgery. With his heart unable to relax or slow down, his body couldn't rest; he was forced to stay awake the whole time. The police guessed that this drug was used on him twice, one during the surgery she forced upon him, and the other when she was going to vivisect him.

The idea of Snap going through the vivisection while awake...it was too horrible for Rudy and the others to think about. The surgery itself was bad enough. But the vivisection would have been so much worse. So much more damage would have been done to him. There would have been so much pain, and Snap having to endure it all, unable to at least pass out and be spared that pain, was downright cruel and horrific. The only sense of peace they got was knowing that, thanks to the investigation, Vice was going to be dealt justice.

They were able to find enough evidence in that hospital to convict Vice for an exceedingly long time. There was no way she was going to get away with what she did, not when the police found records of everything she had done. No matter what she says, no matter how she pleads, she is still going to jail. And when she does, Rudy and his friends were going to have a stronger peace of mind, knowing that she won't be able to hurt anyone anymore.

Information regarding Sol was harder to come up with. But the police, when investigating that Snip planet, did find some information out. They talked with some of the Snips there. Most of them didn't know Sol, suggesting that he was either too antisocial to talk with them, or he was pretty new and didn't have a chance to talk to a lot of them. The Snips that did know Sol had some interesting things to say about him.

Apparently Sol had, at least once, tried to create an uprising. He had a disillusioned view of the planet and the state of Snips. He claimed that he wanted to 'liberate' the Snips and get revenge on ChalkZone for banishing them there. Sol had revealed that he had a grudge against Rudy and Snap, something Rudy had already known. But now, he finally knew why. Sol blamed Snap for Snips existing the way they do in the first place. And he blamed Rudy for creating that ship which sought out every Snip that got erased into ChalkZone. Rudy couldn't believe how much this guy was overreacting. He was trying to punish them for something that wasn't really their fault, especially Snap... And claiming that this was an act of justice was just downright sickening.

The Snips, thankfully, didn't listen to Sol. There were a few who considered his ideas, but they were easily swayed back, leaving the evil Snip alone. Sol became disgruntled by the lack of support and started to withdraw into himself, so to speak. He didn't speak with anyone for a long time and kept to himself. Some Snips thought he had disappeared completely, while others suspected he was up to something. But with no evidence, they weren't able to tell anyone. Sol making a mountain out of a molehill was definitely worrying, but none of the Snips knew he would go as far as he had, all in the name of his twisted view of 'justice'.

The Snips believed that Sol did care about their well being on some level, but that was distorted greatly into a lust for revenge. And by the end, they felt that it became all about him, and his desire to get back at those he felt wronged him. It was no longer about freeing the Snips. It was about satisfying his sickening desire of watching Rudy and Snap suffer and bleed to death. He had taken this desire way too far, to the point where he was willing to expose ChalkZone and let everyone else suffer, if it meant he could watch Rudy and Snap squirm.

Rudy was glad that there was enough evidence to convict Sol as well. It wasn't as much as Sol seemed to have been a new addition, and details on how he met Vice and they struck that deal, he wasn't sure. But at least they were stopped now, and neither of them were going to get away with what they did. The trial still wasn't for a while. They wanted Snap to be there to testify against the two, something that was going to be very hard for Snap to do, but it must be done. But without the ability to speak or write, there was no way he could testify, so the trial was held off. In the meantime, Vice and Sol were kept locked up and under watchful eyes.

Rudy was sitting down on Snap's bed, on the very edge of it so he didn't accidentally hurt him. He watched as his friend laid on his back, his eyes partway open and breathing in slowly. He had been trying to get some rest, but the pain was still too intense for him and he still required painkillers. This saddened Rudy greatly. When will Snap be able to sleep without medication again? How long were they going to have to inject him with that drug? He had hoped that, by now, the pain would be better and he could sleep again without aid. But unfortunately, things didn't turn out that way.

The door opened up and he watched as Penny walked in slowly. In her hand, she was holding the painkiller. She came up to the bed and stood next to Rudy. She looked at him sadly and then turned her gaze back down towards Snap.

"How has he been?" Penny asked in a soft voice.

Rudy stared down at Snap for a moment and then turned back to Penny. "He's improved a little...but he's still a long way from recovery."

Penny nodded. "Yeah...the doctors say it might take three months for him to recover, with the damage that was done to his body."

Rudy's eyes widened. "Three months...?"

"Yeah..." Penny said, lowering her gaze a little. "They're hoping it won't take that long. They say we can help speed things up a little if we can help him overcome his fear and help him be relaxed. I told them that, lately, he's still so afraid and terrified, such as with his reflection, and that worried the doctors." She paused for a moment, sucking in a deep breath. "They say that Snap being afraid like this may be negatively affecting his recovery, pumping his body with unneeded chemicals that is hindering the healing process. He needs to be calm."

"We tried calming him down, but it doesn't seem to work." Rudy said, fighting back tears. "He...he was put through so much..."

"Snap needs to be able to communicate with us." Penny said. She reached down and gently touched Snap's hand. She watched as Snap turned his head slightly to look at her. She gave him a small smile and said, "We can help him more if there was some way he could talk to us."

"Yeah." Rudy agreed. He wished he could think of something, though. At the moment, he was drawing a blank. Anything he could come up with once in a while would require Snap to have use of his arms, and they were still recovering. Still, he didn't want to give up. Maybe they could discuss something while Snap is sleeping. "It's still so hard to believe this happened... What a horrible thing to happen to someone as nice as him.." Rudy gently stroked the top of Snap's head. He sniffled. "It just isn't fair..."

"I know, Rudy..." Penny looked at him sympathetically. "I know..." She held up the needle. "Hold him up for me."

This was the part that Rudy always dreaded doing. He hated doing it because, each time, it hurt Snap. It never got much easier. Snap did start to handle the pain a little better, and he didn't struggle against them when they were the ones giving him the needle. Still, Rudy felt awful about helping to do this, and he knew Penny did, as well. Having a needle shoved into the spine was very painful, no matter how careful and gentle they were about it.

He gently lifted Snap up, careful not to harm him in anyway. There was a small tear in the back that he placed there so that it was easier getting the needle in. He steadied Snap as Penny pressed the needle into his back. Like always, Snap would react in pain, crying out and stiffening up as the needle went into his flesh. He didn't struggle, instead opting to clench his teeth and cry as his eyes were shut tightly. Soon it was all over and Penny removed the needle. Snap started to relax as Rudy placed him back down gently.

Rudy and Penny watched as Snap's eyes started to close. These were the most peaceful times their friend had, when the ability to feel pain was removed. It was the most relaxed he could get. It was during these times that they would almost forget that there was something wrong with him. They would have to harshly remind themselves of the cruel reality.

"We'll figure something out..." Rudy whispered in a soft voice as Snap started to fall asleep.

"Yeah...you'll see..." Penny said softly.

Then, seconds later, Snap's eyes closed completely.

sss

Two weeks later, and there wasn't as much improvement as Penny had hoped there would be. The pain had gone down some more, but the painkiller shot was still required. They had tried getting him to sleep, but it was clear that Snap was in too much pain still. She wasn't surprised, considering how much he had been butchered during his stay at that hospital. Snap wasn't trying to vouch for attention; he wasn't the type of zoner to do that, not while he was in critical condition. There was no way he would fake some of this pain just to get the painkiller shot.

Penny wasn't sure how long the painkiller would work. There was some worry that its affects would start to wear off as the body gets used to being pumped full of it. For now, though, it was working and it was one of the only reasons Snap could sleep at night. He needed as much rest as possible, allowing time for his body to heal up.

The mirror thing had gotten a little better, although he still reacted in fear. They had tried to help him get over it, but they didn't seem able to get through with him. She believed that communication was key and, whenever they could figure out how to help him talk to them, they could better help him overcome this fear, as well as the rest of the fear he was still harboring. Poor guy was still so afraid to be alone. It was to the point where Rapsheeba couldn't leave the room without coming back to find Snap in a whimpering ball, looking around desperately for company.

Penny knew that this fear of being alone stemmed from his horrific treatment at the mockery of a hospital. He was alone there during his entire stay. She didn't count Vice and Sol as company. They were there just to torment her friend. Anger rose up in her heart as she thought of the terrible things they had said, especially Vice. Even worse that she said a lot of those things right in front of Snap... She hoped that, soon, Snap would start to overcome his fears and try to really relax. His body would heal faster if he was in a stable mental condition.

Communication was still a problem. She had spoken to Rudy about it a few times, but none of them had any viable options that they felt would work or would be affective enough. They could still ask him yes or no questions as a simple nod or shake of the head was all he had to do to answer. But some questions they wanted to ask him would require a lot more complex answers than just yes and no. And Snap was currently unable to answer these questions. Even writing was impossible as both his arms were so painful that Snap could hardly write with them.

She didn't want to give up, though. There had to be a way to communicate with him. She hoped that, as the days go by, something would happen, something would come to her that they could use. Eventually, something had to give, and the tides would turn. Things had to get better soon. They just had to.

Penny stared down at Snap, gently stroking his head. He stared up at her with those wide eyes. She knew that he desperately wanted to speak to her, but his vocal cords had been so heavily damaged. She felt a pang in her heart as she realized that...it might be permanent. She choked back a sob. No, it couldn't be true. Snap couldn't become a mute for the rest of his life. He had to get better, somehow...

Rudy, Rapsheeba, and Blocky would return soon. Rapsheeba and Blocky were getting some more soft food for Snap, as well as some harder ones to see if he could eat them more easily now. And Rudy had went down to see Biclops for more magic chalk as he was almost out. After he gets the magic chalk, he was going to come straight here to Rapsheeba's New Place to visit Snap, like he always did whenever he came to ChalkZone, even when Snap wasn't mortally injured like this.

She watched as Snap seethed in pain and tried to shift himself, only to cause himself more agony. Penny bit her lip and wrapped her arm around his head, gently raising it up. "No Snap...don't struggle... Please.." She pressed her head against his. "You'll hurt yourself more. Please...settle down..."

Snap did settle down, slowly and surely. His body still trembled in agony and he looked up at her pleadingly. She knew that he wanted her to give him the painkiller, but she wasn't allowed to do that except when it was time to sleep. She felt tears form in her eyes as she watched Snap look up at her fearfully, whimpering in pain. She wished she could help him more. She wanted him to feel better. She wished that none of this had happened. It wouldn't have if she and Rudy had just been paying attention earlier... Oh why hadn't they noticed...?

And now, seeing Snap like this, in so much pain, that was a testament to their neglect, to them not noticing something was wrong. This was their punishment for taking so long to realize that Snap had been danger all this time. She felt her cheeks get wet from her tears as the reality sunk in. She tried to fight back the guilt. She tried to tell herself that they did all they could and that they shouldn't blame themselves for what happened. Yet the guilt had a way of grabbing a hold of her, not letting go. And she began to cry harder.

Being very careful, she moved closer to Snap on the bed and lifted him up into her arms. She took care to avoid his injuries or aggravating them further. She held him against herself, resting her chin on his head. The feelings of guilt were getting too strong. And seeing her friend still in a miserable state more than a month after his rescue, seeing him so frightened all the time, it broke her heart. Unable to hold it in any longer, she continued to cry, her sobs growing a little louder.

"S-Snap...please..." Penny said in a shaking voice. "You have to get better...please... I-I don't want to lose you..."

Sobs racked through her body. She did her best not to allow the tears to hit Snap, not wanting to cause him more pain than he was already in. She held onto him tightly, but gently. Her body continued to shake as she cried.

"Please get better...please..." Penny pleaded with him, wishing that words alone would help take away the pain her friend was feeling. She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead against his head gently. Tears dripped from her eyes and she gave a loud sniffle. "I love you..."

Then something happened. Something that Penny never expected would happen. It took her by complete surprise.

"I...l-love..." A painful cough and a wheeze. "...y-you..." Another loud cough and a whimper of pain accompanied that. "...t-too..." More whimpering and whining.

Penny's eyes flew open. A part of her wondered if she was mishearing things. Maybe she had become so desperate for some kind of improvement that her mind was playing tricks on her. She pulled her head back and looked down at Snap in shock. She saw him looking up at her. His mouth was partway open, like he had just...

...spoken...

The realization dawned on her.

"Snap...did you just..." Penny hoped, prayed, that what she heard was reality. That her mind wasn't toying with her. "...did you talk to me...?"

Snap stared at her and, slowly, he nodded his head, a small smile on his face.

Penny felt tears form in her eyes. This time of happiness, not distress. She felt a smile pull against her face. "Oh Snap..." She hugged him again, feelings of elation washing over her. Snap could talk... She told herself that over and over. He could talk... He could finally talk again...

The door was pushed open. She could hear footsteps coming into the room. She turned her head and she saw Rudy rushing in. He noticed Penny holding Snap and his face filled with horror.

"I-Is Snap...?" Rudy said, his voice filled with dread.

Penny smiled at him and wiped away a tear. "Rudy..he can talk..."

Rudy froze, his eyes widened. "Wh-What...?"

"Snap can talk..." Penny said, continuing to smile at Rudy. "He just spoke to me..."


	22. Uphill Climb

The revelation that Snap could talk lit a spark of hope in Rudy and Penny. Snap had finally spoken for the first time in over a month. Rudy felt a wash of relief come over him. It appeared that Snap was not going to become a mute after all. His voice has started to return. Now that Snap was capable of communicating with them, even just a little bit, they could finally ask him some questions regarding what happened during his stay with Vice and Sol, and they could ask him what was wrong whenever he felt scared so they could try to help him.

Rudy wanted to talk to Snap as soon as he heard Penny say that he spoke, but he thought better of it. From what Penny described, it really hurt Snap to talk. He spoke with Penny and suggested they wait until it's the usual time to inject the painkiller and talk to Snap then. They could each ask one question to keep it at a minimum for now so Snap didn't have to talk as much. Waiting until it was time to inject the painkiller would make it easier for Snap to talk to them without having to pause to wait out the pain. And keeping him from talking to much would ensure that the injuries to his vocal cords didn't reopen.

When Blocky and Rapsheeba came back with the stuff they went out to get, Rudy and Penny told them immediately of the good news. Blocky and Rapsheeba were very happy about the development. They were soon informed of the plan to speak to Snap after he got his painkiller shot. Rudy made sure to emphasize only one question per person, as he did not want to risk Snap injuring himself more. The two zoners understood and were willing to comply.

Waiting for the time to come felt like it was taking forever for Rudy and the others. Rudy and Penny had to, unfortunately, leave for a time due to the real world. They didn't want to leave, but they couldn't risk their parents noticing them gone and alerting the authorities. So they had to go. It was painful for them to wait all that time, from when school finished to when they got home. But when they did get home, they could immediately go into ChalkZone. They wouldn't be able to talk to Snap right away, but school still managed to kill a few hours, so that was less time they had to wait.

The four of them stayed in the room with Snap during that time. Sometimes Snap would try to speak again, only to be stopped by the pain. Rudy realized just how much of an effort Snap must have put in to speak, and how brave he was to try talking when he knew it hurt him so badly. It made him glad that he was restricting the questions to just one per person. Though he won't feel the pain with the medication flowing through his body, it wasn't going to be pleasant when the feeling does come back.

Snap seemed a little calmer, but Rudy suspected it was because they were all staying with him. He felt safe with his friends around, especially if they were all there. It was a sad truth that all four of them weren't able to constantly be in here with him. They still did what they could, visited as often as possible. Rudy hoped that having Snap talk about his experiences won't make him more afraid or reopen old wounds. Snap needed talk to them about this stuff, or it's just going to get worse still. The fact that it would have been a month before he could say anything was not a promising sign. Who knows how deep the mental scars have settled in by now?

The four of them worked together to take care of Snap that day. Rudy and Blocky helped each other take Snap to the bathroom whenever he had to go. Penny and Rapsheeba aided each other in feeding him. They all helped each other clean him up since he was unable to take a shower or a bath in his condition. They spoke to him,trying to say whatever they could to help him feel calmer. It was going to be a relief finally being able to understand just what was, specifically, frightening him so they would be able to help more efficiently.

It seemed to take a longer time than usual, but soon the nighttime hours rolled in. Rudy had drawn a watch so he knew what time it was. Since ChalkZone's moon and sun did not rotate, always in the same place, it was hard to tell when it was night or day in the real world unless they had a watch to aid them. When it was around eight o'clock at night, the usual time when they would give Snap the painkiller, Penny got out the needle.

Snap whimpered at the sight. It wasn't Penny he was afraid of. It appeared to be the needle. Rudy didn't blame him. He knew that Snap was injected with stuff via a needle to make him helpless while he was Vice's prisoner. And that needle did hurt. Rudy went over and held Snap up for Penny. She pushed the needle into his back, trying to take as little time as possible. Snap contorted in pain, but otherwise held still in Rudy's arms. Penny put the needle away and stepped back. Rudy held Snap up for about a minute before he sat him back down on the bed. The four of them waited for the pain medication to take effect.

Within a few minutes, Snap gave a nod of his head, signalling that the pain medication had taken effect. Now that the pain was under control, they could finally start asking him questions. They didn't say anything right away. They waited a little bit so that the painkiller could take full effect, and they wanted to think to themselves just what to ask. They wanted to ask some important questions as they wouldn't be able to ask again until the next day. And since this was their first time being able to communicate with Snap for over a month, they wanted their first questions to really count.

After they all decided on what question they each wanted to ask, Rapsheeba was the first one to speak up. She took position next to Snap and looked at him sympathetically. Snap turned his head a little and waited for Rapsheeba to say something.

"Snap..." Rapsheeba said, her voice light and quiet. She bit her lip, pausing for a moment, and then she asked, "Why are you so afraid of being alone?"

A silly question, sure. But it was still an important question nonetheless. Hearing the answer that Snap would give would definitely aid them in helping Snap. They could only make guesses on why he was afraid. Very good guesses, but still guesses nonetheless. If Snap told them how he felt, they could better help him.

Snap looked at Rapsheeba with wide eyes, before turning his gaze over to his other friends. He opened his mouth, but shut it. He looked a little uncertain, like he either didn't know what to say, or was afraid that speaking might still hurt him. Rapsheeba put her hand on his shoulder comfortingly. He gave her a small smile before he attempted to reply.

"I-I...I'm afraid..." Snap started to speak. His voice was coarse and, even with the painkiller in effect, it sounded like he was having a lot of trouble speaking. "...I d-don't want them...to get me again... They would...l-leave me on my own...in pain...in agony..." Snap paused and swallowed hard. His eyes were widening a little as memories seemed to flow through him. "They...they would come wh-when I w-w-was trying to r-rest... They'd hurt me...they'd mock me...almost never...peace of mind...I don't..I don't want to go through...that again..."

Snap looked at them, his eyes even wider. A hint of tears formed in his eyes. He shook his head slowly from side to side. His friends looked at him sadly.

"P-Please..don't l-leave me alone...I don't want to be alone again..." Snap pleaded with them, accompanied by a small whine.

Rapsheeba put her arm around Snap and pulled him into a hug. "Oh Snap my man... We'll keep you safe. You'll be okay here... Those two monsters can't get you here. You're safe." Snap pressed the side of his face against her shoulder, letting out a few small whimpers. "You'll be okay..."

"Yeah, Snap. Vice and Sol have been arrested. They can't hurt you anymore." Penny said in a gentle voice. She reached over and put her hand over his, gently squeezing it. "Don't worry. They can't get at you anymore. They cannot hurt you again."

"And if they try..." Blocky started to say.

"They'll have to answer to us." Rudy said firmly, eyes narrowed slightly. "We won't let them anywhere near you. We promise."

Snap smiled at this. He appeared to relax a little in Rapsheeba's arms. His breathing slowed down a tad. He still looked scared, but it was clear being able to talk a bit about what happened to him, and getting comforted afterwards, was helping Snap out psychologically. It was never good keeping things inside, and Snap had been doing that, albeit unwillingly since he had no way of effectively communicating with them.

Blocky was the next one to ask a question. He moved a little closer to Snap. He paused for a moment, like he was thinking of exactly how to phrase his question. When he was ready, he spoke.

"Why are you afraid of your reflection?"

This made Snap stiffen up. Any sign of relief he had was gone almost instantly. His eyes widened and his body started to shake. Rudy and the others realized that, whatever was frightening Snap about his reflection, it was definitely serious. Not that they had any doubts before, but this confirmed their suspicions. Rapsheeba and Penny did their best to settle Snap down. The zoner emitted a few low cries before the two females managed to soothe him.

Blocky looked guilty about asking the question. Rudy looked at him sadly. He shouldn't feel so bad. They needed to talk to Snap about this, and it wasn't like Blocky's question was the only one that may unintentionally hit a sore spot with Snap. He put a hand on the rectangle zoner's shoulder in an attempt the comfort him. Blocky looked up at him with a sorrowful expression.

"I didn't mean to upset him..." Blocky whispered.

"It's okay, Blocky." Rudy replied. "It was a question that needed to be asked. I don't think Snap will be angry at you." He turned his head to Snap. The zoner had settled down a little more. Still frightened looking, but better than he was a few moments ago. "Will you, Snap?" In response, Snap shook his head once. Rudy turned to Blocky. "See? It's fine."

"Okay..." Blocky said. He turned his head to Snap and he and the others waited for his response.

Snap let out a few small whimpers, and shut his eyes tightly. It was clear that this was very hard for him to talk about. It was taking all his mental strength to do so. "S-Sol..." He let out a low whimper. "He...he hurt m-me...while...while looking...and sound just...like m-me..." He lowered his gaze and closed his eyes tightly, tears flowing from them. He took in a few shuddering breaths. "H-H-He gave me...a-all...of my..in-injuries on my..r-right side..." He turned his head, his eyes on his right half. "A-All c-came from him..same day..."

There was a collection of gasps in the room. Everyone's eyes were wide with horror, their minds numb with disbelief. Rudy's eyes traveled to Snap's right side. He recalled the wounds that were on that side. The torn tendon, the slashed foot, the damaged ear, the gash on his shoulder, the stabs and slashes in his arm...they were all given to him by Sol. And all in the same day?

Anger rose in Rudy's heart. Just who did Sol think he was, tormenting Snap like that? What did Snap ever do to him that he deserved such a fate? Snap didn't deserve anything that happened to him. All those injuries, in the same day...and given to him by a vengeful zoner for no other reason other than just because he could. All that pain, that agony... and to make it even more twisted, Sol had looked and sounded just like Snap during the whole procedure. That...that was just sick... No wonder Snap was so scared of his reflection still. Sol had deeply scarred him with that cruel and unnecessary stunt.

They had known about Sol damaging his ear and foot, but they didn't know that he was also responsible for his shoulder and arm injury. And what made it worse is that all those injuries were done in a day. Rudy and Penny had thought that Sol did some damage one day and more another, spreading it out to 'maximize Snap's torment' as Sol might have put it. But in one day? In one sitting? That was just sick and wrong. Rudy couldn't imagine the amount of pain Snap must have felt during all of that.

Rudy put his hands on the bed and leaned towards Snap. He looked at the frightened zoner in the eyes and said, "Listen to me, Snap. That monster is not going to hurt you again. Your reflection is your own. Sol is nowhere near here. He can't get to you. You're safe here."

Penny nodded her head. She squeezed his hand again. "Grinder crushed that thing he used to look like you. He won't be able to look and sound like you ever again. Don't fear your own reflection, Snap. It's just you. Sol will be locked up and he no longer has a means of disguising himself as you."

Snap clung on tighter to Rapsheeba. He looked at his friends with a wide-eyed expression that was basically silently asking them 'are you sure?', and to answer his friends gave an affirmative nod. Rapsheeba stroked the top of his head and gave him a small kiss on his forehead. Snap slowly relaxed again, the best he could. A few trembles here or there, but his whimpers quieted down.

Penny was up next. She bit her lip, a single tear forming in her eyes. "I...I hope you understand..how sorry we are that we took so long to find you. We didn't mean it. We...we just had no idea..." She wiped away her tear. "Do you...do you understand...?"

Rudy couldn't say he was surprised that Penny still felt some guilt. He did too, from time to time. They all did, as they all had been fooled by Sol more than once, although he kept most of his attention on Rudy and Penny. He had given some good reasons to doubt him, and yet they still went along with it. They still believed he was Snap. Rudy had tried to fight off the guilt and most of the time it worked. He was able to focus as much as he could on helping Snap get better rather than going down a 'woe is me' pity state, as that would have solved nothing.

Still, some guilt was still there, and Rudy wasn't sure if it would go away anytime soon. The guilt had a strangle hold on them, and he doubted it was going to leave anytime soon. He didn't believe for a second that Snap blamed them for what happened. Snap wasn't like that. Even when he screwed up in the past regarding Snap, the zoner never held it against him. He might be disappointed at most, but he never berated him for it. But perhaps hearing it from him would help them all feel better.

"I-I understand, B-B-Buckette..." Snap said. His voice sounded a little more coarse than before. He narrowed his eyes slightly, introducing a wave of tension in the room. Rudy bit his lip. Had he...had he been wrong...? Was Snap mad at them? He waited for the zoner to continue. "I-I-I admit...sometimes...seeing the way you..treated Sol like he was m-me... I felt...betrayed.."

This stung Rudy's heart. He bit his lip. His mind thought back to when he and Penny were hanging with Sol, back when they thought he was Snap. The guilt in his mind grew stronger, now knowing how Snap felt at times when he was forced to watch them together.

"Oh..Snap..we..." Penny started to say, her voice choked with emotion.

"Y-You didn't let me f-finish..." Snap said. "I-I just...wasn't thinking...straight... The pain...the f-fear...not knowing if I...was..g-going to live... It m-messed with my mind." Snap paused for a moment, taking in a few breaths. "I-I don't blame y-you...for what...happened... You didn't know... y-you c-couldn't have...known..and if you did...you would have...t-tried to find me... I kn-know you would have..." Snap gave a small smile to his friends. "P-Please don't b-blame yourselves... It's not your fault... It's not your f-fault at all... The...the only ones to blame...are those..two...creepazoids..."

A wave of relief swelled in them all when they heard Snap say that. It felt like a burden was lifted off their shoulders. They didn't really have too strong a belief Snap would blame them. But hearing it from him, hearing him say it wasn't their fault, that made a big difference. It really meant a lot to them to hear him say that. Snap truly didn't believe they were at fault, and he had confirmed that for them, especially when he smiled at them like that.

Rapsheeba released Snap so that Penny could take him into her arms. She hugged him carefully, not wanting to touch his wounds by mistake. She pressed the side of her face against his, tears flowing down her face. After she was done, Rudy, Rapsheeba, and Blocky all took their turns hugging Snap, being very gentle with him. To their joy, Snap actually hugged back. They felt his arms around them, pulling them in closer. After they hugged, they all sat down on the bed with him, moving close to him to give him physical comfort.

As they sat down with Snap, Rudy wondered about how he was going to word his question. It was a little more difficult than he thought it was going to be. Snap was looking at him. He knew he was expecting him to ask the fourth and final question for tonight. Rudy sucked in a breath, his mind swirling with thoughts of how to word it. And whne he thought he figured it out, he began to speak.

"How can we make you more comfortable so you can relax better?" Rudy asked. "Your stress is slowing down the healing process. If you can tell us what would help you calm down..."

Snap answered almost immediately. "W-Well...th-there's a few things...if it's not too much trouble..."

Penny smiled reassuringly at him. "It's no trouble at all. We're your friends."

"Yeah. Whatever you feel you need, let us know." Blocky said.

Snap smiled for a moment. He turned his gaze downward a little, sucking on his lip for a second. He looked like he was really thinking hard on how he wanted to word what he wanted to say. The others waited patiently for him to reply. They didn't want to rush him, knowing what he had been through.

Snap looked back at them and he said, "C-Could you maybe...bring in a small...-r-radio and k-keep it on...? I d-don't like the qu-quiet..." He gave a shudder. "I-It was quiet...at that...place...except wh-when they were...t-t-torturing me..." Tears formed in Snap's eyes, the painful memories swirling through his head. The danger had long passed, but the pain of the horrific incident was clearly fresh on his mind. "A-And a more c-c-comfortable...bed...? I l-like this one but...it's kinda hurting...me a little... Something softer p-please...?"

Rudy raised up his magic chalk. "Sure, Snap." He paused and looked over at his injured friend. He wondered if there was anything else that would help Snap feel more comfortable. He waited to see if his friend would continue.

Snap gave him a smile and said, "Th-Thanks...B-Bucko..." A few tears escaped his eyes, moving down his face slowly. "I-I really a-appreciate...it..." He seemed to notice Rudy's glance, and realized that he was asking a silent question. Snap paused for a moment. Then he said, "Th-That's it...for n-now... I'll t-tell you more..t-t-tomorrow... I don't...w-want to trouble...you..."

"Oh Snap..." Rudy said. "It's no trouble at all. You can say more if you want."

The blue and white zoner shook his head. "N-No... I'm getting...tired...all this..t-talking..." He mumbled under his breath. His eyes were starting to close. Snap was having a hard time keeping them open. "M-Must sleep.." Snap started to lean against Rapsheeba, who held onto him gently.

Rudy smiled at Snap. Yeah, he had done enough talking for tonight. They would have liked to talk more, but his throat still needed to heal, and all this talking might end up biting him back in the morning when the drug wore off. Best to stop talking now and let him get his rest. The information he provided was insightful, and will be handy in helping him feel more comfortable. Before, they could only guess what was wrong with him. But now they had a clear understanding of what was making Snap freak out, so they have a better idea of how to comfort him and help him relax.

Now that they know what was wrong, Rudy sensed that the next few weeks were going to be an uphill climb. It will still be slow, he was certain, and there might still be some downsides that'll show up at some point. But for the most part, things were starting to look up. Snap getting his voice back, albeit he still couldn't talk as much, was a very good sign, and Rudy felt it marked the beginning of the upward trend. He hoped that, soon, Snap could use his arms and be able to walk again, and be able to rest and sleep without need of the painkiller.

Soon, Snap had fallen asleep in Rapsheeba's arms. As he did so, the female zoner scooped him up into her arms, careful not hit his injuries. She moved him off the bed and she, Blocky, and Penny moved out of the way. Rudy went to work rebuilding the bed, making it nice and soft for Snap. It didn't take too long. He mainly just had to replace the mattress with something much softer. He still made sure there was some firmness, some support, otherwise Snap's back may be aggravated.

Once he was finished with that, he drew a new set of sheets and blankets to go along with it, making sure they were softer than the ones he used before. With Penny's help, he made the bed, tucking in the sheets and pulling the blanket back so that Rapsheeba could place him down again. The covers were pulled over him, his head resting on the pillow. The four friends took a moment and watched Snap as he slept. Somehow, he looked a little more peaceful than he did the other nights, likely because that he could finally tell them what was wrong and they could finally help him more efficiently.

Rudy drew a small dresser next to Snap's updated bed. He then drew a battery-powered radio and turned it on, letting the music fill the room. He kept it at a low volume so that Snap wasn't woken up from the music. He adjusted the dials so that calm, soothing music would play to help lull Snap to sleep should he end up waking up in the middle of the night like Rapsheeba says he does at times. Rudy wouldn't doubt that Snap would have some more nightmares, but he hoped, with things starting to improve for him, that those bad dreams would become less frequent.

Rudy, Penny, Rapsheeba, and Blocky sat on the bed with Snap for a while. They stayed close to him, watching him as he slept peacefully. They all knew things would start looking up now, and soon Snap would be back to his old self. It would still take time. Things aren't going to all be better suddenly overnight. But at least the worst was over, and Snap could start healing properly now.

Rudy and Penny couldn't stay too much longer. It was getting late and their parents are going to wonder where they were. They said their goodbyes to Rapsheeba and Blocky, and said goodbye to Snap as well, even though he was asleep and didn't hear them. Although reluctant, they left the room, leaving Rapsheeba and Blocky alone with Snap. The two children began to make their way over to the portal, their minds thinking about what had just taken place.

Although things were more uplifting, the two were walking pretty slowly. Slower than usual. Rudy couldn't get his mind off what happened, and neither could Penny, he could tell. They were thinking about what Snap must have gone through. They now learned a bit of what his treatment was like. It was just downright deplorable. They were afraid to know what else might have happened, but they still had to know. And as the days go by, they were certain they would find out more about how Snap was treated, more of what Vice and Sol had done to him.

And soon, very soon, this would all become just a memory for them. A painful one, but a memory nonetheless. And Snap would be able to go 'exploriating' with them again, like he would put it. Rudy and Penny missed those days. They missed seeing Snap happy and smiling and talking a lot. And knowing that they had gotten a step closer to regaining that filled their hearts with joy. Hopefully, things would continue to climb upward for them all.

Rudy and Penny soon got to the point where they had to split up, each with a piece of magic chalk. They stood in that spot for a while, each staring off in the direction where their homes would be. They took a moment to reflect before they turned and looked at each other.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Penny." Rudy said.

Penny nodded. "Yeah, I'll see you later, too."

Before Rudy started to walk, he thought of something. Penny had taken a few steps away from him when he turned his head. "Uh...Penny...?" Penny stopped and looked at him. "Out of the two of us, you know more about medical stuff than me. What...do you think Snap's prognosis is now...?"

Rudy wasn't surprised that Penny looked at him with a surprised expression. Penny knew some about medical things, but was not an expert. That was her mom's division, but her mom couldn't help with this. Not unless they wanted to expose ChalkZone, and nothing in the real world would help Snap. Rudy waited patiently as Penny formulated a response in her head.

"Things definitely look more positive than they did before. I imagine that, as long as this is kept up, Snap's prognosis will improve." Penny said, smiling at Rudy. She reached over and placed a hand on Rudy's shoulder. "He has a better chance now."

Rudy looked worried, but he managed to give a smile to Penny. "That's great to hear." The smile faded and he looked to the ground. "Still something could go wrong..."

Penny shook her head. "No, it won't. Trust me, Rudy." Rudy looked up at her, his green eyes meeting her dark brown ones. "Things will get better."

"Yeah, I know." Rudy said, smiling the best he could at her. He still couldn't shake off the sudden feeling he had that something could go wrong. He did his best to ignore it. Penny was right. He knew things were getting better. And Vice and Sol were locked up. They couldn't do anything to Snap anymore. "You're right.."

Penny's smile broadened a little. She then turned her direction to where her house would be. "Well I have to get going now. My mom is probably wondering where I am. If I'm not back there soon, she's going to come into my room and see that I'm not there." She turned her head back to Rudy. "And I don't know about you, but I am not fully prepared to explain myself when I suddenly jump from my chalkboard as my mom walks in. I'd scare her half to death, among other things."

Rudy nodded his head. "I understand, Penny. I have to go too." He waved his hand to her. "Bye!"

Penny moved in the direction of her house. She turned her body so she could look back at Rudy while she ran. "Goodbye!"

Rudy watched her for a few moments. He then turned and began to walk towards where his house would be. Penny's words did reassure him. It was the same thoughts he had more or less. Snap was going to get better. Things were finally looking up.

He just hoped that it stayed that way.

sss

After another month had passed, Rudy came to realize that Penny had been correct. Things had improved a lot since Snap was able to speak again. There were occasional hiccups where things looked like they were heading down again, but those moments were few and far between. The main trend they all noticed as the uphill climb they had been so wanting to see with Snap.

Over the course of a few days, they had learned quite a lot about Snap's time at the mockery of a hospital. Rudy and the others were horrified by the details. Snap was not comfortable talking about them, but he pushed through his fears to give as much information as he could. And each time he revealed something new, it sickened Rudy, as each detail was something more to prove how much of a monster Vice and Sol really were.

Snap told them about the time Sol had tortured him and given him those injuries he mentioned. He said that Sol stabbed him many times in the arm and how insane he was because he blamed him for something that wasn't his fault. And when he tried to defend himself, Sol slapped him. And when Vice first tortured him, Sol went out of his way to make sure he couldn't scream, and then started to torment him mentally during the whole process. He told them of any time Sol said something to scare him, and when he had punched him in his butchered left arm when he had tried to defend himself.

Vice was also quite disgusting. Snap informed them of how she would often use kind words, acting like she cared all the while she did horrible things. She called him things like 'honey' and 'sweetheart'. And she'd do this often when she was tormenting him mentally, such as how she would touch him gently just to mess with him, and when she did so physically. Snap detailed how, when she would be hurting him, Vice would mock soothe him, telling him everything would be okay while she inflicted harm on him.

It got to the point where it was hard to tell who was the bigger monster. Rudy settled on Vice, but Sol came pretty close, especially with how he actually savored hurting Snap and thought he actually deserved it. Rudy still couldn't fathom how Sol could be like that, how he could blame Snap for something that wasn't his fault. If he was really that upset, couldn't he have just talked to Snap about it instead of plotting this stupid revenge thing? And why would Vice say kind words to Snap all the while hurting him? Penny guessed it was to screw with him and make him feel even more unsafe. If that's the case, she certainly succeeded.

When Snap finished telling them, over the course of a couple days, everything that had happened to him, Rudy and the others were appalled by the horrific treatment of their friend. Now that they knew everything, all the things that were done to him and how he felt during those times, they could understand completely why he didn't want to be alone, why he didn't want to be in the hospital before, why he was plagued by nightmares, among other things. It wasn't that they didn't know before; but knowing everything, it all fell into place better, and they could understand even more.

Ever since Snap was able to talk and tell them everything, as well as inform then what was wrong if he did start feeling scared, his mental state started to improve. It wasn't much at first, which was to be expected after the hell he was put through. Rudy and the others did what they could to help Snap feel safe, including bringing in familiar objects and things he liked so that his mind was more easily taken off that terrible mockery of a hospital.

For a time, he was still afraid to be alone and reacted in fear when he had to be left on his own for a short time. This didn't last forever. It took time, but soon Snap started to calm down and became less and less prone to being gripped with fear whenever he was on his own. It became easier leaving him alone for longer and longer periods of time, which was a good thing because there may be times when none of them could be with him for long because of things. This did not mean they left him alone for too long; they would visit him as often as possible and whenever Rapsheeba wasn't busy, she would stay with him.

Snap's reaction to his reflection grew less and less intense, diminishing over time. It helped that his friends were around to assure him that it wasn't Sol, reminding him that the zoner had been arrested and will be put on trial soon. This helped relax Snap more, and it soon got to the point where he no longer reacted with any amount of fear towards his reflection.

His nightmares became less and less frequent. He still occassionally gets them, but Rapsheeba reported that it has been very rare for Snap to have a nightmare. He would usually sleep through the whole night without much trouble. This was definitely great news. No nightmares meant that Snap's mental condition was improving greatly. It meant that he was starting to become more and more relax and calm as he was finally understanding that he is safe here. This was a definite improvement over he used to be before.

His physical condition had improved a lot as well. His wounds looked a lot better. They still hurt him a little, but most of the pain had gone away and the wounds had been closed for a while now. He was able to start moving his limbs again. They hurt, but he could still move them without the aid of a painkiller. In fact, his pain had improved so much that it was no longer required to inject him with the medication and he was able to get to sleep on his own without it. That was a relief. Rudy and Penny really didn't like injecting him with that stuff.

It became easier for Snap to talk. At first, he could only talk a little without feeling pain. He soon was able to talk more and more. And while now, he still had some issues, it was much better than before. He didn't sound as course and he didn't stutter as much nor did he pause as much. He was getting close to sounding like how he used to, before all this had had happened to him. His hearing in his right hear started to come back. It wasn't how it used to be, but Penny said it would get even better with time.

Snap regained the ability to walk. He didn't walk around too much as his right leg was still weak from having the tendon severed like that, and his foot still hurt from the deep gash. To help him, Rudy drew a crutch for him so he could keep some weight off of his left foot. Using the crutch, Snap was able to get around on his own, freeing him from the bed he had no choice but to lay on for the past two months. Seeing him walk around, even if it was with a crutch, made Rudy and the others very happy and relieved. It was definitely a good thing that Snap was no longer bedridden.

He had healed enough that he could eat without too much problem. Occassionally it hurt, but Snap was able to eat solid foods again. He was no longer confined to just applesauce and other soft foods. He could eat sandwiches, vegetables, pasta, among other things. Snap being able to eat more things helped his strength begin to return faster. He had been pretty weak due to not being able to eat much. Now that he could eat properly again, he was able to get more nutrients into his body, helping him feel a lot better.

The injury on his chest from where Vice cut him open remained his most painful injury. It sometimes gave him problems when getting up from bed. Even now it was a little sore. It was still a lot better than it used to be and Snap could easily manage it with the use of over the counter pain medications. The pain from that injury, as well as from his other wounds, faded day by day. Penny believed that the pain would completely vanish by the next month at the latest.

As Rudy sat down on the bed with Snap, waiting for the others to return, he took a moment to reflect on how much things have improved since they found Snap. Their friend had been a lot calmer lately, able to relax during the day, not just at night. Although Snap still wanted to stay with Rapsheeba a little longer, it was clear he was in a much happier, more stable state. He was finally able to get that peace of mind he desperately needed to heal. And ever since his mental state improved, his physical healing seemed to have sped up a little.

There was just one thing left, though. There was still one more thing that needed to be done before Snap could really be at peace. And that was to have Vice and Sol be in that trial, convicted, and sent to jail. It was the only thing left to do to get some closure for his friend. Vice and Sol are said to have healed up by now and they are being prepared to go to the trial. They were informed all of this by a police zoner, who told them that next week would be the trial.

Understandably, Snap wasn't sure if he wanted to go. Rudy and the others couldn't blame him, especially after what they had done to him. But he still needed to do this. He needed closure. He needed to help bring those two to justice, especially Vice as she was the worst of the two. And with all those victims...all of them deserved closure as well, along with their loved ones who had no idea what had happened to them until recently. Snap was one of the many victims, and, according to the police, he and Grinder are the only two victims to have survived their encounters, with Snap being the only one who could talk.

That was another reason Snap had to go through with this. He was the only one who could speak who could tell the court exactly what Vice had done. It was going to be painful, but Rudy knew he could do it. He was able to tell his friends and, with their support, he could tell the judge, the jury, everyone in the courtroom just how much of a monster Vice and Sol really were. Snap's testimony would not only give the victims' families an idea of what their deceased loved ones had been through, but it would help ensure that Vice and Sol will not get away with what they had done.

Rudy looked down at his friend. Snap was leaning against him, knowing full well what day was going to come soon. Snap had been nervous about the trial since he realized it was coming up in a few days. Time was ticking by and he knew that, eventually, he would be on that stand, speaking out against those monsters. Rudy put his arm around Snap and pulled him into a partial hug.

"Still nervous about the trial?" Rudy asked him gently.

Snap nodded his head slowly. "Y-Yeah... I don't want them to get me again..."

Rudy understood why Snap felt that way. They were all worried of the possibility of those two doing something crazy in the trial. Even with police escorts there, all armed, something could still happen. So Snap's fear wasn't entirely unfounded. "Oh Snap...Don't worry. We'll be there for you. We'll make sure they won't ever hurt you again." Snap looked up at him with wide, frightened eyes. "You'll see. They'll be put in jail and you'll never have to see them again."

Snap lowered his gaze. He looked left and right before pressing the side of his face against Rudy's chest. This prompted Rudy to put his other arm around Snap, giving him a tighter hug. The zoner nestled into Rudy's arms, putting his arms around him to return the hug. "I hope you're right, Bucko..."

"It'll be okay...you'll see..." Rudy said in a soft voice. He rested his chin on Snap's head. It felt nice being able to do this without worry of aggravating Snap's injuries and hurting him badly. "After the trial, did you want to do something fun afterwards? Get your mind off of it?"

Rudy could feel Snap nodding his head against his chest. "Y-Yeah...that'll be nice, Bucko. What did you have in mind...?"

Rudy thought about this for a few seconds. He tried to think of something he knew Snap would love. Then he got an idea. He smiled down at him. "Maybe you, me, Blocky, Penny, and Rapsheeba can all go peppermint bowling. I know you always wanted to try that game. Does that sound like fun?"

"Yeah, it does." Snap said, his voice sounding a little happier. He went silent for a few moments, taking in a few breaths. He cuddled up further into Rudy's arms and whispered, "I love you."

Rudy felt a few tears of happiness stream down his face. He hugged Snap tighter. "I love you, too..."


	23. Justifiable Apprehension

Snap was sitting up on the bed. His head was facing downward, staring at the floor. He was currently alone. Before, this would have bothered him greatly. He would constantly have this sense of apprehension on the back of his head, and he'd desperately look for company. Vice and Sol had done a lot of terrible things to him, especially Vice. He had gotten much better lately, and now he could finally sit here, alone, without feeling like one of those two were going to jump out and get him.

He was still in Rapsheeba's room. A part of him did long to go back to his own house. He missed sleeping on his own bed, in his own place. But he still felt apprehensive about sleeping alone. Even though a lot of his fear regarding being alone went away, at night, it was a different story. He hated being alone when he wanted to sleep. He wasn't sure how long it was going to be before he felt confident enough to sleep on his own. Rapsheeba didn't really mind, though, and she welcomed him to stay as long as he wanted to.

Tomorrow was the big day. The trial. He gave a shudder. He really didn't want to go. He didn't think he could be in the same room as those two. With all the pain and misery they caaused him, he just wasn't sure if he could bear being that close to them, even if they were heavily guarded and he was with his friends. Despite his friends' encouragement, he was still apprehensive about going, and he wished there was a way out of it. He did understand the importance of him going, especially since he and Grinder are the only survivors, and he's the only one of the two who can speak. Relaying information of what happened was important in a trial, and he could provide inside and closure with what he had to say.

Still, he would rather not go, if it were at all possible. The past few days, since he heard about the trial, he had been getting nightmares of those two. Mostly of Vice. The nightmares would either focus on how Vice removed his kidney while he was awake and could feel everything, or they would be about the vivisection she almost managed to perform on him. The nightmares were so bad that a couple of times, he'd let out a scream and wake up Rapsheeba. And even with her comforting him, he had a hard time going back to sleep.

It didn't help that he felt pain in the dreams. Those people who say it's not possible to feel pain in dreams, Snap had no idea what they were talking about. In all these nightmares, whenever his dream self was hurt, he would feel it. Not just a mild pain either. But major, enough that, according to Rapsheeba, he'd cry out in pain, like he really was injured. The pain was just as bad as it was when he was cut open for that kidney removal surgery.

Snap shuddered as he remembered not only the pain, but the other uncomfortable sensations that he felt during it. The stretching of his skin, the feel of her hand inside him, the stitches going on.. While all did cause him a lot of pain, there was additional discomfort, bizarre and foreign sensations, that felt while this happened to him. He could still feel it sometimes, the sensation of a hand inside of him and tugging at his internal organs. He doesn't think he would be able to forget that sensation for a very long time.

And that wasn't the only thing Vice did that stuck with him, refusing to leave his head. There was the fact that she had kissed him. On the lips, too. This was one detail he was a little reluctant to share at first, but he still managed to spit it out. He recalled being surprised when Penny said that Sol had kissed her just to show how much control he had over her. It did help Snap understand why Vice kissed him. It was probably a mixture of wanting to show how much control she had over him, and possibly that she was saying 'goodbye' to him, in her own way. He wasn't sure if she did this with all her victims or if this was more exclusive to him.

Whatever the reason, it was an uncomfortable sensation. It creeped him out, sending chills up his spine. A kiss was supposed to be an act of love. It was supposed to fill one with warm, fuzzy feelings, to put it simply. However, Vice had managed to turn it into something terrifying. She took the concept of the kiss, stripped away any positive feeling of it, replacing it with something disturbing, and gave it to him. And not just once too. She kissed him multiple times, although they almost all, except for that one, been on the forehead, like she was treating him like her son.

And it wasn't just the kissing she managed to strip any positive feelings from. She had touched him, stroked him, caressed him. These acts would have been comforting if it came from his friends. Vice was doing things to him that, if it came from his friends, he would have felt calmed by them. She managed to turn them into a scary experience. And those 'sweet' words she used on him, like 'honey' and 'sweetheart'... They, too, were devoid of any positive emotion whenever the black unicorn used them. She really knew how to take something that was supposed to be nice and innocent and warping it into something nastier, and without much effort at that. It was scary.

He hadn't told his friends this one detail, but that did mess him up a little more than he let on. Sometimes, when his friends would hug him, be close to him, talk sweetly to him to try to calm him down, he would remember what Vice did to him and, for a split second, he'd be afraid. He never reacted in fear around his friends when they acted that way to him. He managed to keep it under control. He knows they would never deliberately hurt him. But that didn't change the fact that, at times, he was a little scared by what they say and do, since it reminded him so much of what Vice had done to him.

He did feel better knowing that she wasn't going to be able to hurt him again. There was nothing she could do to escape her fate. She had been caught, there was plenty of evidence mounting up, and soon, in the court, everyone will know what kind of monster she had become. Even those who once defended Vice would have their eyes opened to the truth.

Snap wondered how those people were going to feel. He recalled what Rudy and Penny told him regarding Thorn. He had said that many zoners remembered how Vice once was and would defend her, because they didn't want to believe she'd turn into a monster. They would rather believe she died than to believe she would turn into something so different, so evil, especially after she had been nice once. The thought sent shudders down Snap's spine. The idea of Vice once being a genuinely friendly doctor scared him. He found it hard to believe that those warped words she used on him were once used with real kindness.

And an accident had taken that all away and turned her into something else. Something...evil... And he had been unfortunate enough to bore witness to just how cruel she had become.

Those people who believe she was still a nice person, they were in for a rude awakening. They were going to feel awful, he was sure. They were going to feel bad that they didn't believe Thorn, and they were going to feel bad that they actually thought Vice was still good. Then again, could he really blame them? They hadn't seen Vice over the years, since her disappearance, that is. They had little reason to believe she was still alive, let alone commiting cruel acts of violence against other zoners. They had no idea just how much blood was on that unicorn's hands. If anything, he was going to feel sorry for them when they found out. It would be such a twist in the tale, so to speak.

Then there was Sol. He thought about what Rudy and Penny told him, what they were able to find out from the police. Snap was glad that Sol was not able to get the other Snips to listen to him. It was a comforting thought knowing that it was just Sol who had gone nuts. None of the other Snips were like that. The worst ones might be rude, but nothing worse beyond that. It was nice knowing that none of the Snips were dumb enough, or bad enough, that they would join Sol in this ill gotten quest of his.

He couldn't believe that what Sol was trying to accomplish. He had acted like it was delivering justice for the Snips. And perhaps it really had been about that at one time. But nowadays, all that Snip cared about was himself. Oh he'd say he was doing it for the Snips. He'd say that wanted to free them. But if he had succeeded, would he really have done that? Snap wasn't so sure. He had a feeling that Sol would be more amused at watching his enemies suffer when ChalkZone was exposed than really do anything about the other Snips. In fact, since the Snips refused to join him, he wouldn't doubt Sol had a grudge against his own people and was just hiding it well.

It made sense that he actually despised the other Snips deep down, and was trying to convince himself that he cared. He might tell himself over and over again that he did, but that wouldn't change how he truly felt inside. Sol was ostracized by his own 'species' per say. None of the other Snips would have what he was saying, despite it being done for them, or so Sol says. Sol's feelings of bitterness were increased by his perceived abandonment of his own kind.

So this whole 'exposing ChalkZone' scheme, it was a ploy to get back to the other Snips for not following him, not just because he wanted revenge against Rudy and Snap. Sol was an omnicidal maniac. He wanted to destroy everyone, including the other Snips. Whatever kid had created him, he sure endowed him with so much hate and anger. It must have been one screwed up child to draw a creature like Sol, and then unleash him onto ChalkZone to cause trouble.

But at least, soon, it was all going to be over. Even though he was scared, he knew that, after the trial, things were going to get better. Sol and Vice would be locked up. He wasn't sure where or the exact details of their punishment yet, but there was no way they were getting a light punishment. He would imagine Sol would get a lighter punishment compared to Vice, but that was only because Vice had done a lot more. So many zoners died because of her. Sol hadn't killed anyone yet. But he wouldn't doubt for a second that, if given the chance, he would do something like that.

He did look forward to peppermint bowling after the trial. After the emotional torment he knows he was going to be put through in the trial, with Sol and Vice there, doing something fun like bowling would help calm him down. He had been wanting to try that game for some time, though he knew so little about it. It would be fun finding out, though. There was a new peppermint bowling alley somewhere in ChalkZone City. The zoners there would be happy to tell him the rules and what not.

It would be probably the first fun thing he did with his friends out in ChalkZone in a while. He had been in Rapsheeba's room since he left the hospital. He hadn't really been outside in all this time. Although he could leave now as his wounds had mostly healed up, he still kept himself in here. It was because he was still afraid that Vice and Sol would get him. He knew how irrational of a fear that was, but he would feel much safer after they were locked up. Only then would he feel comfortable with walking around outside, especially in ChalkZone City. And there was a reason for that, too.

It had taken him sometime, but memories started to flood back to him, and he remembered how he was kidnapped in the first place. It had taken place sometime in the early morning, before Rudy and Penny would show up in ChalkZone. Real world time, he believed it was probably five in the morning. He was usually not up that early, but he couldn't get back to sleep and he did need to get something from a store in ChalkZone City. It wasn't like it really mattered how late it was; it was always broad daylight in ChalkZone City. So he thought nothing of it when he went there.

Not surprisingly, there wasn't too many zoners out in ChalkZone City at this time. There were a few walking the streets, but it was still largely empty. More so than what he'd say later on in the day. But the store he wanted to go to was still open, and he was heading off in that direction. He didn't get far, though, when he heard some kind of noise coming from the alleyway. It sounded like someone calling for help. It wasn't in Snap's nature to ignore such a call, and he went to investigate.

It was then that he was grabbed from behind and a hand covered his mouth. The figure, whom he now knew was Vice, told him to be quiet. Snap attempted to struggle, but Vice had thrown him into the ground as hard as she could. She pinned him down with her foot and raised a rock over his head. Snap was horrified and he attempted to scream, but the rock was slammed against the side of his head. And when he came to, he was tied up in Vice's hospital.

He shuddered at the memory. Waking up in that hospital was a terrible feeling. He wished that he had just stayed home until Rudy and Penny came. If he had done that, he wouldn't have been captured in that alleyway. He wouldn't have woken up in that terrible hospital. He wouldn't have been tortured within an inch of his life. All of this wouldn't have happened. He couldn't believe how stupid he was, going out into ChalkZone City during a late hour like that, all alone too.

Then again, how was he to know that was going to happen? Most zoners wouldn't dare do something like that. Most zoners were more mild, maybe rude at best. But there weren't too many that would do something like Vice had. There was so little crime in ChalkZone altogether, at least compared to the real world, that many zoners, including Snap, never developed a sense of danger, per say, when walking alone in the dark. There was just so little to worry about, it didn't really matter. Snap realized he shouldn't really blame himself for that. There was no way he could have known.

Vice had been the one to decide to make her move then, not him. Even if he hadn't gone out that day at that time, Vice would have gotten a hold of him one way or another. Not going that time wouldn't really have stopped her and Sol. It would only have delayed the inevitable. They would have gotten him. They made their decision to kidnap him and that is what they did. They would have found another way to get him no matter what he did.

It was still unfair how life could be sometimes. He hadn't done anything to deserve what he got from those two. He never harmed anyone. He didn't go beat anyone up. He didn't scheme to take over ChalkZone. Nothing...nothing at all he did made him deserve to be tortured so much, to be put through all that pain and misery. And even after the triall, Snap had a feeling that a part of him might never be the same. When someone is put through that much pain and torment, it was hard to simply bounce back. He might be able to act happy again, but there may always be a part of him that would remain affected by what happened.

It was hard keeping the negative feelings out of his mind. He wanted to think about more happy things, such as the fun he was going to have with Rudy and the others after the trial was over. But the mere thought of having to confront Vice and Sol again, even if it wasn't going to be that long, well he couldn't help but feel rather upset by it. He couldn't stop the horrible feelings from returning, blocking out most happy feelings he was trying to keep a hold of. And he doubted it was going to go away any time soon.

He still looked forward to the peppermint bowling thing. A part of him was still excited for it. He liked to bowl in general, and the idea of a new variation of it, complete with new rules and regulations and new ways to play, excited him. He usually loved trying out new things, especially with his friends. He hoped that, after the trial, the peppermint bowling was going to help get his mind off of what happened at the hospital.

He heard the door open up. He turned his head to see Penny walking towards him. He didn't see anyone else with her. She probably went out ahead to go meet with him. The others were probably on their way. He guessed they were going to be here relatively soon. It was getting close to time when they'd all visit him anyway. As Penny walked closer, he did his best to hide his fear. He didn't want her to worry. Though he had a feeling it was going to be a useless endeavor. Penny was quite inquisitive and she'd easily guess that he was hiding something.

"Hello, Buckette." Snap said, giving a small smile to his friend as she came closer. He lifted up his hand to wave at her. "Are the others coming?"

Penny nodded her head. "Yeah. They'll be here soon." She stood in front of Snap and stared at him for a moment. She furrowed her eyebrows in concern. Yeah, she took notice all right. Snap should have known he couldn't hide anything from her. "You're nervous about the trial, aren't you?"

Snap bit his lip and flinched. He looked away. He was silent for a few moments. Then, slowly, he nodded his head. "Yeah...I am..."

Penny looked at him sympathetically. She reached over and put a hand on his shoulder. "I understand. It's not going to be easy. It never is." She gently squeezed his shoulder. "But once it's over, you'll never have to deal with those two again. They won't be able to get to you anymore."

"They could always escape..." Snap muttered. "There's always the chance of that..."

Penny opened her mouth to speak. Then she paused and let out a soft sigh. She said, "Yeah, that's true. She and Sol might find a way to break out of jail. They might come after you." Snap winced as she said this. Penny sat down next to him and put her arm around his shoulder. She pressed him against herself in a sort of half hug. "But if they do, we will be better prepared to deal with them. After the trial, all of ChalkZone will know what they did, and the abandoned hospital is condemned and locked up, so they won't even have that. None of their equipment will be available to them, and now there are so many eyes out on them that they won't be able to sneeze without someone noticing them."

Snap nodded his head. "Yeah, I know..."

"Plus, after what they did, especially Vice, they won't be going to just any jail I'm certain." Penny said, holding onto Snap a little tighter. "They'd be going to a maximum security prison. Even if there was somehow a way to escape, it would be so hard for them to accomplish. It would wear them out so much that, in the end, they may just decide it's not worth it and stay there. You don't need to worry so much, Snap. The chances of them being able to get you again are so remote now. They no longer have stealth on their side."

Snap thought about this. He knew Penny was right. Chances are, the prison those two would be sent to would indeed by a high security prison. Both of them would be considered very high threat levels, with wanting to expose ChalkZone to the real world as one reason for that. Vice's torture of over a hundred victims would definitely seal the deal. They would be sent to the highest security prison ChalkZone had to offer. Penny was right. There was little chance they would get out.

He was still afraid, though. He know it was irrational of him to believe they would get out so easily and come after him. He understood how little sense it would make, given the fact that both Vice and Sol could no longer hide that easily even if they got out. Someone would see them and report it to the police and they'd be recaptured. Then they may suffer a harsher punishment for escaping prison. Yet, he couldn't keep the fear from rising up inside of him.

Penny seemed to sense how afraid he was. She put her arms around him and pulled him into a hug. "I know you're afraid, Snap. I know that fear won't go away from a long time. After what you've been through, that's understandable." Snap pressed the side of his face against her shoulder, his arms looping around her and holding onto her tightly. "But I promise, we all promise, we won't let anything happen to you again. Not me, or Rudy or Blocky or Rapsheeba, not anyone we know in ChalkZone. No one is going to let those two hurt you ever again. You'll be safe. We promise..."

Snap gave a small smile. A few tears formed in his eyes as he cuddled up closer to Penny. "I know..." He closed his eyes as he rubbed the side of his face against her shoulder. "Thank you..." He said in a soft whisper.

Penny smiled gently and rubbed his back a few times. "You're welcome, Snap."

sss

Vice remained quiet, her mouth clenched shut tightly. She did her best to ignore the comments thrown at her by Sol. The angered Snip, furious at their capture and failed plans, kept insulting her, saying how her plan was not thoroughly thought through and how they could have won if they had just killed off Rudy, Penny, and Snap to start with. She bared her teeth a little and gave him an intense look after she finally had enough. Sol could sense the rage inside of her and he immediately shut up.

Vice was glad that he stopped talking. She didn't know how long she was going to be able to handle hearing that bumbling idiot speak. It was bad enough that they were captured, completely ruining her plans. She did not need to hear it shoved down her throat by this insane Snip. She narrowed her eyes as she gave him a sideways glance. If anyone was to blame for this failure, it was him. If he had just kept his temper under control and if he just put on a more convincing show instead of allowing some of his true colors to shine through, none of this would have happened.

She knew she should have just done this on her own. She was capable of a little bit of magic. At one time that is. With her horn broken, she can't really do anything like that again. She was capable of creating realistic hallucinations and holograms. She could have used that to fool Rudy and Penny herself. She would have been in complete control and she would have been better prepared. Instead, she decided to go against her better judgment and hired this Snip. She had thought it was a good idea at first. He had the hostility towards Rudy and his pals that she needed. But she should have been wary about hiring him when she realized that he really couldn't control his temper that well.

She is fully aware there is no getting out of this. She knew she was going to recieve some kind of punishment. Death was a possibility, given all the zoners she had killed, all in the name of her strange obsession with organs. But no, she knew she was not going to get off that easily. Death was not even a common punishment in ChalkZone. It was usually either community service or jailtime, depending on the severity of the crimes. And her crimes were not only severe, they went well beyond that extreme end of severity.

Right now, all she could do was wait. It wasn't like any of the guards here were going to tell her anything. It's not like they even knew anyway. The trial hadn't started yet. It would very soon. Today was the day. There was a part of her that felt a sickening pang, making her feel ill. She was apprehensive, perhaps even a little scared, as she was finally going to have to confront what she had done all these years. Yet she hid this fear rather well under a mask of anger and frustration. Though her teeth weren't sharp, the sight of them bared would make anyone around her, even Sol, nervous to be around her. Even the guards weren't too comfortable with being close to the cell door.

She was placed in a cell in one of the smaller jails for the time being. She was still a little weak from the injuries Grinder had given her. Her mind seethed at the memory. She should have killed that overgrown lizard years ago when she had the chance. She should have been wary when she was able to see through Sol's disguise. And now, she had helped to ruin her plans by saving the two brats and bringing them over to her hospital, stopping her from vivisecting Snap. Her ears flattened as she realized just how close she was to achieving her goal, at least where Snap was concerned, only to have it snatched away by that overgrown beast.

Now here she was, stuck in this forsaken cell with Sol, who was sitting in a corner not far from the bunk bed they were forced to share. The jail cell wasn't too large. It had adequate space for the two of them, roughly the same size as the cage she kept Snap in. The walls were a little dingy and bad smells hung in the air, making her snort sometimes when she breathed in. She knew there was a chance that these were the types of conditions she'd be forced to live in for the rest of her life. The only thing that might be guaranteed to change was the location, as she had a feeling this was not the jail she would be sent to.

A part of her wished that the trial would start already. She was getting tired of waiting. There was no clock in here, so she had no idea what time it was, or how much time had passed. All she could do was pace back and forth not far from the bars holding her in. She would glance at the guards to see if there was any sign of movement, expression changes, anything to indicate she would be taken to the courtroom. Yet there was that other part that was still afraid, no, outright terrified of going to the courtroom. After all these years of keeping this hidden, after all this time of zoners believing she was dead, the truth was going to come forth. And after this, even if she managed to get away, it meant little as she would no longer have stealth on her side.

And then there was that other side of her that was going to be frustrated she could no longer get that 'drug high' that she wanted so badly. She could have went to therapy and try to have that fixed. She could have done something so she didn't crave the sight of others' organs, their internal structure and anatomy. But she had chosen not to, not only because that side of her that wanted to satisfy the craving was so strong after that accident, but also, after all the deaths she had over her head, would trying to change her ways really make a difference? No, it would not. That's what she'd tell herself over and over again. There was no point, so she ignored any guilt she felt, and went on continuing to be the monster she made herself out to be.

Killing never came easy at the beginning for her. It was during these times that her guilt would be the strongest. As time went on, killing and torturing became easy, and soon she was able to ignore the cries of pain and pleas of mercy from her victims. At least sometimes. Other times, she had to silence them somehow, like she had with Boorat and Snap. But overall, killing was quite easy for her to do. She stared over at Sol again, who eyed her nervously. If she wanted to, she could snap his neck so easily. She could grab him, break his neck and think nothing of it. In fact, that might be what she'll end up doing after they are sent to jail. She wanted to satisfy her drug high and Sol just might remain useful for that. She'd tear him open with her own hoof fingers if she had to.

Then she would let him heal up. She'd give his body time to completely recover. Then she'd cut him open again. And she'd keep doing this. And even if she's not stuck with Sol, whoever her room mate turned out to be, they were in for a nasty surprise. No one was going to deny her right to get her fill of her addiction. Not even this blasted justice system, who thinks that they are able to completely control what she can and can't do. She scoffed at the mere idea of them believing they can stop her from achieving what she wanted. They were all such fools.

And Snap... She would get him whenever she had a chance to. She allowed Grinder to live, and she paid the consequences for that. She would not make the same mistake with Snap. If she ever got out, or if she ever found a way, she would kill him. No more torture or prolonging things. No, she wanted him dead. Out of everyone she hated, it was Snap she wanted to die the most. And unlike the others, she didn't care if she saw more of his anatomy or not, although that would be have been nice. She just wanted him to die. She should have just killed him off when she had the chance to. Well now she will, as soon as she gets her chance, she will do that. No jail was completely inescapable.

After a while of silence, it seemed Sol finally found his voice. She heard him clearing his throat. She turned her head to look at him.

"I still say you brought this on yourself. We could have won if you hadn't been so obsessed with..." Sol started to say.

Vice cut him off with a glare on her face. "And you know better? You're nothing but a failure among your own kind. You couldn't even get one other Snip to follow you, so you never even got to make use of your plans. Whereas I have had years of experience. Don't tell me about how much my plans suck when you don't have any experience for yourself to claim."

Sol growled softly at this. "At least my plans didn't involve obsessing over some stupid anatomy addiction. It was your addiction that landed us in here in the first place! You twisted black witch! You scoundrel horse! If you had kept your addiction under control, we would have..."

"Shut up!" Vice shouted, seizing Sol by his throat and slamming him against the cell's brick walls. Sol grabbed onto her hand and tried to push it out of the way. He stared at her in fear. "Don't be trying to pit this rap on me! If you have controlled your temper, we would have won! It was because of you, and your inability to 'stay in character' that helped cost us this round! I should have just killed you off and done everything myself!"

Sol looked up at her with widened eyes filled with terror and let out a few whimpers of fear. She tightened his grip on his neck, causing him to choke. Sol struggled to get free, silently begging her to let him go. All she did was scowl back at him and then she pulled back her other hand. She flexed her fingers, and prepared to strike down on him.

The only thing that stopped her was a shout from one of the guards. She whipped her head and stared over at one of the guards, who appeared to be a two legged wolf with brow horns. He had a taser pointed straight at her, and she knew he was not afraid to use it. He made a motion with his taser, a gesture that meant to release Sol. She growled at this, mumbling under her breath. She glared back at Sol for a second before released him, letting him drop to the ground. She watched as he scurried to get away from her, pressing his back against the other wall across from her.

The wolf guard glared at Vice. "Next time I see you acting up, I am going to shoot on sight. Do I make myself clear?"

Though Vice seethed on the inside, she forced a smile on her face. "Crystal clear..."

The wolf guard straightened himself up. "Good. Besides, it's time for the trial." He turned his head to the side, and Vice realized he was looking at something coming up down the hallway. "Your escort will be here in a minute."

"Finally. I was wondering when you lot were going to send me to that oh so wonderful courtroom." Vice's voice was laced with sarcasm.

"Keep your mouth shut." The wolf guard pointed his taser back at her. "If I hear another word from your scarred muzzle, I am going to shoot you."

Vice growled at this, but nonetheless remained quiet. She waited for her escort to arrive. In seconds, she soon saw who it was. Her ears flatted against her skull and she bared her teeth. She found herself staring eye to eye with Grinder, the reptile zoner who had nearly killed her and put her in the hospital. Grinder was not too happy to see her either. Riding on her back, she recognized him as Thorn, the zoner who had found her hospital and helped Grinder to escape.

She would have said something to him, but she could see, from the corner of her eyes, that the wolf guard still had his taser pointed straight at her. So she thought better of it and kept quiet. She just kept staring at the oversized komodo dragon and the humanoid zoner that road on her. The cell door opened up, the bars shifting into the wall. She would have started to run if it weren't for the fact that Grinder was blocking her path and would attack her if she tried to escape. She remembered how much it hurt to have those claws and teeth tear into her, and she was not interested in experiencing it again.

She turned her head and locked eyes with Sol. She made a flick of her head, giving him a silent command to come forward. The Snip obeyed, out of both fear of her and of the guards pointing tasers at him to make him comply. The two of them went up to Grinder and began to walk along side her. With the snarling Grinder and the armed guards beside them, Vice and Sol had little choice but to walk down the hallway to be taken to the courtroom where they would be prosecuted.

sss

The courtroom was huge. Larger than Vice expected it would be. And practically every seat was filled. As she was being escorted down the path towards the table in front where she was to be seated, she took this time to look around and get a feel of just how big this place was. Everyone had their eyes on her. Some were filled with hate. Some anger, some fear, and still some shock. Vice did little more but offer an evil smirk back at them.

Sol was being taken down a separate aisle. He looked less composed than she was. Though she was burning in anger at her defeat, she did at least remain as calm as possible as she moved towards the table where she and Sol must sit for the trial. The Snip was visibly angry. He did not attempt to struggle, but she could see his face contorted in anger even from this distance.

As she reached the end of the aisle and she walked in front of the crowd, she could see familiar faces off to her left side. Rudy, Penny, and Snap, and a couple faces she didn't recognize offhand. Two friends of Snap's she presumed. She guessed this from how they were sitting next to Penny and glaring hatefully at her. Snap was sitting in the first desk, Rudy down next to him. The table she would be sitting at would be the other one, several feet away on the other side.

She paused for a moment. The guards pushed against her to make her move. But she stood still long enough to stare at Snap. She noted his fearful expression, the way Rudy put his arm around him protectively, glaring daggers at her. Her only response to this was an evil smile and a single warning to Snap, spoken in a soft, lighthearted sounding voice, an eerie cheerful ring to it.

"I am going to kill you."

At this, Snap let out a whimper and Rudy hugged him, trying to soothe him. The sight of this made Vice chuckle, even when she was shoved and forced to keep walking. Giving the little zoner a little bit of well deserved torment was worth getting tasered for.

She soon took her position at the desk, Sol quickly joining her. She paid little attention to what the judge said as the trial started to commence. She heard the sound of a mallet slamming down, and she knew court was in session. She turned her head towards the judge, who had his eyes on her. And when he opened his mouth to speak, she knew what it was going to be, even before the first word was uttered.

"Cecilia Vice. You have been brought into this courtroom with the charges of capturing and torturing over a hundred zoners, conspiring to expose ChalkZone to the real world, and kidnapping and torturing Snap and Grinder for days on end." The judge said. "How do you plead?"

Vice chuckled at this. What a silly question for them to ask. She would just say 'guilty' and be done with it. But since she was already arrested, there was nothing really to lose now. It didn't matter what she said, and she might as well have a little fun. She turned her head, giving an evil smile towards the frightened Snap. She then turned her attention towards the judge.

"You want to know how I'll plead? Oh I'll tell you..." Vice said in a cold, semi-playful voice. "I plead for the chance to decorate this courtroom with Snap's internal organs." A collection of gasps. She raised her hoof hands into the air. "Red is such a...lovely color. Don't you think?"

At this, the courtroom erupted in shouts of terror and anger. Snap let out a scream and grabbed onto Rudy. The ten year old whispered soft, comforting words to his friend while glaring at Vice. Penny and the two other zoners, a green rectangle and a humanoid female, snarled in her direction before turning to Snap and attempting to soothe him. Vice watched this with great satisfaction.

"Order! Order!" The judge slammed his mallet down. The loud sound rang through the courtroom, prompting everyone to stop making noise. The judge bared his teeth as he fixated his stare on the black unicorn. "Another outburst like that, Dr. Vice, and you will be punished! Do you understand?"

Vice nodded her head. "Yes, judge. I do." The smile never left her face.

"Good." The judge said. "Now...let's begin."


	24. Karma Bites

Sol couldn’t believe what was happening to him. When he had agreed to work with Vice, he never would have thought it would land him in this sort of trouble. He had believed her words, that they could get away with what they were going to do. He believed her when she said that she could help him get revenge on ChalkZone and on those brats. He had believed that her plan was fool proof. He hadn’t noticed any flaws in it, and it really did seem like everything was going to work out their way.

Oh how wrong he had been on that. He never would have foreseen certain events, such as running into Grinder, that ultimately led up to them being caught. Perhaps if he had thought things through more, things might have turned out in his favor still. He did still manage to get revenge on Snap, but he didn’t get a chance to get at Rudy. He had wanted to inflict some harm on him as payback for what he had done. He had wanted to make him suffer. Well at least he got to toy with Penny for a bit. That had been fun.

Still, that did little to comfort him as he was trapped in jail with the one person who had helped put him here in the first place, Vice. He glared over in her direction as she laid on one of the three beds in the cell. Both of them were wearing bright orange jumpsuits, traditional prison standard. The cell was about the same size as the one they were kept in before, but this cell used a forcefield instead of bars to hold its prisoners in. Probably because some prisoners managed to get free filing down the bars or something. The forcefields made it much harder to escape.

The jail he and Vice had been sent to was one of the most secure prisons in all of ChalkZone. Cameras everywhere. Forcefields that shocked if they were touched. The guards were armed with powerful tasers with higher voltage than what the other prison had. There were large dog beasts patrolling the prison to keep the prisoners in line. The jail itself was made out of a very hard material, kind of like diamond, which made it impossible to try to dig their way out. All in all, it was a strong jail that would be next to impossible to escape from. Sol was certain there was a way, but at the moment, he simply didn’t care. He was too peeved at what happened to really attempt to plan an escape.

He went over the events that happened recently in his head. And, as he sat here trapped in this cell, he came to realize how much of an idiot he really had been. When Vice had approached him, he should have exercised caution. He should have learned more about her instead of readily agreeing to help her so fast. He should have realized what kind of trouble he might get into if he associated himself with her. Now it was too late for that.

Before this, he was nothing more than a nuisance to others. He hadn’t caused enough problems to warrant being locked up for life. He hadn’t really hurt anyone, at least not from what he can remember. If he had, it was nowhere near as bad as what Vice had done. All in all, he wasn’t viewed as too much of a threat when it was just him. He’d fume, but nothing worse than that, usually. The other zoners would just ignore him.

Working with Vice landed him a much harsher punishment. He had associated himself with the insane unicorn, even allowed some of her behaviors to rub off on him, and this is what happened to him as a result. Stuck in jail for life trapped with the zoner he now hated more than Rudy and Snap. He had been a big fool for agreeing to work with her. If he hadn’t done that, if he hadn’t made the mistake of associating himself with her, then he might have gotten a less extreme punishment. But no, he had to be an idiot and...argh. He couldn’t believe he had been so stupid.

In the end, it hadn’t been worth it. He had thought he wouldn’t mind some of the things she did if it meant getting revenge on those brats. But he was wrong. There was no way that being trapped here for the rest of his life was worth it. Not by a long shot. Yes, it was pretty nice when he did get to do something against Snap and Penny, and he did get to toy with Rudy mentally, even though he wanted to hurt him physically too, but in the end, it was just all a big waste. He was going to waste the rest of his life here and all because he had believed Vice’s words and agreed to help her.

And now there was no going back. He wasn’t going to be able to do anything with his life other than just sit here with Vice. He was going to have to life with his mistakes. He and Vice were stuck together in this jail with no chance of bail. He scoffed at that. Who would want to bail them out anyway? It seemed pretty pointless for the judge to point that out to them.

His mind seethed as he recalled what happened at the trial. Vice had been a total idiot in what she had done. Threatening Snap and talking about spreading his organs around, yeah that might make for a good conversation when they were alone, but it was the wrong thing to say during a courtroom trial. And it had come back and bitten her hard, and he had also suffered consequences of it. The whole thing made him angry and he had been tempted to punch Vice for it. But..it wasn’t like he was going to be able to anyway. The punishment they recieved would prevent any of that.

Originally, Vice was going to be given her own cell, as well as him, as they were both deemed too dangerous to be around. But after that outburst, and the subsequent argument between him and her that happened during the trial, the judge had ordered that they remain together. In order to keep them from hurting each other, they were issued shock collars that fit securely around their necks. They couldn’t be removed, and if they did anything that caused pain to the other, they’d both be shocked. They had tested it out to see if it worked, and the electric voltage practically burned their insides, so that was incentive enough for them to stop.

It was frustrating not being able to attack Vice. If there was anyone he could think of that was deserving of a punch, it was her. It was her fault they were in this mess. If she hadn’t been focused on her stupid addiction, they might have gotten away with this. It was her fault this happened, and he couldn’t believe that she was trying to pin the rap on him. The only thing satisfying about this whole thing is that at least she can’t hurt him either. As much as he hated her, he was also afraid of her. She was larger and stronger than him and, before the shock collars were put on, if she wanted to break his neck, she could easily do so.

He had seen how strong she was during times when they weren’t messing with Snap. Despite how she looks, she was pretty darn strong. Definitely more so than he was. He wasn’t that strong of a Snip, and he guessed that even Snap was stronger than he was, physically that is. The shock collars did prevent Vice from hurting him, so he no longer had to worry about not knowing if he’d wake up in the morning. Unless Vice started to gain a love of inflicting pain on herself, which he doubted would ever happen, he was safe around her.

He would try to argue with her about how much this was her fault, but he didn’t see a point to it. It wasn’t like she was going to listen. From what he had seen of her, she was not willing to admit her own mistakes. And not the ‘I shouldn’t have teamed up with you’ sort of thing. She couldn’t admit any wrong in her actions during the trial. She had acted like they were completely normal. And while he could understand that to an extent, during trial that wasn’t the kind of attitude she should have exhibited, and that just secured their one way trip to jail. If he tried to argue with her, she would just dismiss everything he said, and try to twist his words to make it seem like he was the one at fault. He growled at this. Now he gets to live with her permanently. How lovely...

There was one thing that did comfort him. And it was knowing that Snap will have to live the rest of his life with those pale scars that still remained on him. All reminders of what had happened to him. He was going to wake up every day knowing what he and Vice had done to him. Sol had left his mark on Snap and there was no way that little zoner was going to ever forget him. So in a way, he did get his revenge on Snap. So that was something at least.

He wondered when their new cellmate was going to come in. He overhead one of the wardens say that someone else will be joining them. It made sense. This cell did hold three beds, so therefore it was meant for three inmates. This jail seemed pretty efficient with this sort of stuff, and all the other cells he saw, the number of inmates matched the number of beds in that cell. Logical sense.

It had been a while ago since he heard the warden say that. Maybe two hours. He wondered who this new cellmate was going to be. Whoever they were, he hoped they would be better company than Vice. Not only did he hate her, but he was also creeped out by her. Her addiction to anatomy and now that she is deprived of that, he feared of how she might behave after awhile. Was she going to go nuts and try desperately to attack him and tear him apart, despite the fact that she was going to get shocked in the process? Having another cellmate would at least lessen the chance of her attacking him, since she’d have a new target. And this new cellmate may not be as insane as Vice was.

It didn’t take too much longer before he heard the familiar footsteps of guards moving down the hallway up towards their cell. Standing in front of the cell, he could see what looked to be a large feline zoner. Thick muscles, a mouth full of protruding sharp teeth, an orange jumpsuit that just barely fit him. Overall, the zoner was very intimidating. Was this their new cellmate? His eyes widened in horror at the realization and he slowly backed away from the forcefield.

The warden turned the forcefield off for a few seconds to allow the feline zoner in. When the feline zoner walked a couple feet into the cell, there was a blimp sound and the forcefield was back on. Sol looked up at the new prison mate, looking at his piercing yellow eyes, and that snarl, it filled him with dread. His body trembling slightly from his imposing size, he moved back further. The feline zoner wasn’t as large as Grinder, but he was pretty damn close. And unlike them, he had no shock collar.

Vice must have heard the sound of the new inmate. Sol could hear the creak of the bed as she sat up. He turned his head and he could see her sitting, her feet planted on the ground. Her head was turned in their direction, her eyes focused on the new inmate. Unlike him, she didn’t seem all that worried, at least for now. She might sing a different tune if this inmate turned out to be aggressive. Sol heard stories of prison violence and he had a feeling that at least one of them was going to get to experience that first hand.

“This is your new cellmate. His name is Alegor. I will let you three get acquainted.” The warden said before he disappeared down the hallway.

Alegor stared at them for a few seconds. His eyes shifted from Sol to Vice and repeated this over and over. He hardly moved from his spot, and he remained still for what felt like half an hour. His tail slowly moved from side to side. His muscles tensed up sometimes, relaxing almost immediately. He took in loud breaths through his large nose, looking a little big on him.

Then he took a few more steps further into the cell. He stared at Sol, narrowing his eyes. Sol gulped and moved back further until he pressed his back against the cell walls. Alegor smirked slightly at this, but made no attempt at getting at him. He turned his attention to Vice. He moved up to her. Vice just smiled at him. Not a friendly one, but a ‘whatever’ kind of smile. She wasn’t inimidated by him at all, not even when he stood a foot in front of her, practically breathing on her. Sol wondered if she was just ignorant of what situation might lay ahead of her, or if she was really that brave. He was betting it was just ignorance.

Alegor’s expression changed to that of slight anger, like he was just mildly peeved. The whiskers twitched as he curled his lip up slightly in a small snarl. This merely caused Vice to tilt her head to one direction, like she was merely curious. This did little to calm Alegor down. His anger increased slightly, and Sol could see, even from here, his pupils had dilated a little.

“You are Cecilia Vice I presume?” Alegor spoke, his voice quite dark and heavy, thick with some kind of russian accent.

“Yes I am.” Vice said, her smirk increasing. “And you’re my new playmate, aren’t you?”

“Hmph...” Alegor’s face contorted into a snarl. He let out a low growl. “You’re the one who killed my little brother...” His lips pulled back, exposing his razor sharp teeth.

At this, Vice seemed to realize what kind of trouble she was in. Her ears flattened against her face as a horror stricken look overcame her. Her mouth dropped open, her eyes widening in fear. Her face rapidly drained of color and Sol could have sworn she was shaking now. He had never seen her so frightened before. A part of him felt satisfied, but another part of him knew that he might be on the recieving end of that hostility, due to him foolishly positioning himself as Vice’s partner.

Alegor’s pupils turned into slits. A low growl emitted from his throat. He moved even closer to Vice, the claws from his fingers extending a little further. He stared down at the trembling Vice, listening to her whimpers of fear. He was so much larger than she was, so much stronger. There was no way Vice could defend herself against this zoner. Even if Sol wanted to help her, he couldn’t do a damn thing either. All he was capable of doing was watching the scene play out as he kept his back pressed against the wall.

Alegor reached down and seized Vice around her neck. His thick, strong fingers and palm pressed against her throat tightly, causing her to gag. Alegor easily hoisted her off the ground, about two feet. She attempted to free herself from his grasp, but it was no use. She only struggled for a short time before giving up and going limp, staring into his eyes in fear.

“Perhaps I should ‘thank you’ for that...” Alegor said in a threatening voice.

Sol watched as Alegor pulled a fist back, positioning it level with Vice’s head. Unable to talk due to the fist around her throat, all Vice could do was wait for the blow as she stared up into the big cat’s eyes in absolute horror.

The fist came down hard and fast. It slammed against the side of her face, knocking her head sideways. Unable to scream due to the fist around her neck, all Vice could do was let out a loud grunt of pain. The large cat pulled his fist back and punched her a second time, this time against her jaws, causing her to cut her own lip with her teeth. Then he threw her onto the ground. She landed with a loud thud. She let out a few coughs and grabbed her neck, rubbing it gently. She looked up, trembling in fear at the sight of the angered feline.

Alegor proceeded to kick her in her side, sending her flying across the room. She crashed into the wall and slowly slid down it, letting out groans of pain. The large cat stormed over towards her, his foot sending mild vibrations through the ground. Sol moved away, trying to avoid letting the big cat see him. He didn’t have to worry about that right now, though. His attention was solely on Vice, who still laid on the ground.

Alegor grabbed Vice by her neck again and his other hand grabbed her tail. He lifted her off the ground and threw her against his knee, which he thrust upward. This caused Vice to have the wind knocked out of her, her eyes widening in pain. A bit of blood specked on her mouth as she coughed. Alegor rotated her and then repeated the same process, this time hitting his knee against her back. She managed to let out a strangled scream. He gave her a kick in the stomach and threw her into the ground another time.

Vice tried to crawl away, tears of pain and fear flowing down her face. But Alegor grabbed her by her leg. She was dragged back with a single rough yank. Alegor held her upside down for a few seconds, staring angrily at her, before he proceeded to slam her into the ground. Again and again, Vice was smashed against the hard ground, each time letting out a loud cry. Then he mustered up as much strength as he could and threw her against the bed. The force was enough to cause her to bounce off the bed and land hard on the ground. Crackling his knuckles, Alegor walked over to her.

Vice stared up at him with a terrified expression. She shook her head and put her hands over her face. She let out a few sobs and said, “No...please...Stop hurting me!” This did not impress Alegor. His eyes narrowed further, his teeth pulling back into a vicious snarl. Vice tried again to plead with him. “No more! Please! I-I’m sorry I killed your brother! Please don’t hurt me anymore...”

Sol pressed his back further against the wall as the scene played out. Alegor did stop, but that didn’t mean he was finished with her. He was staring at her, an enraged expression on his face. Vice was crying, shaking, and bruised up. She kept her hands in front of her face in a desperate attempt to protect herself. How ironic... Before, Snap was the one trying to plead for his life, and now here was Vice, doing the same thing. And Sol had a feeling he would be in the same situation very soon.

“You dare beg?! What about my brother, huh?!” Alegor grabbed Vice by her mane and yanked her off the ground. She let out a cry of pain and stared at him with tear-filled eyes, low whimpers escaping her mouth. “I’m sure he did plenty of begging as you sliced him up! You’re not sorry! You’re just trying to save your pathetic skin!” A dark smile spread across the feline’s face. He proceeded to lick the side of Vice’s face to taste the tears and bit of blood from a recent injury on her cheek. Vice turned her head to the side and let out a whine, staring at him with one fear-filled eye. “Karma can be quite painful...”

He threw her into the ground. She let out a loud cry of pain. He pulled his foot back and kicked her in the stomach again, prompting another scream and a blood spraying cough. She tumbled across the ground and then crumpled there. She sobbed as she stared up at him, her body trembling, wracked with cries of pain and fear.

Alegor stared down at her, his thick arms folded against his chest. A dark smile of satisfaction spread across his face. He moved towards her again. Vice’s eyes widened and she let out a terrified scream. She put her arms over her head and closed her eyes, waiting for the blow. Instead of hitting her, Alegor merely knelt down beside her. He reached down and gently grabbed her chin. He lowered his head and put his mouth next to her ear. He whispered into it.

“Welcome to hell, bitch.”

With that, he moved away from her, leaving her weeping, terrified form on the ground. Sol wasn’t sure if he should be pleased by what he saw, since he hated her and couldn’t hurt her himself, or terrified, since that could happen to him. And when that big cat looked over at him, a glint in his eyes, he knew what the answer was going to be. As the cat moved over towards him, Sol looked left and right, trying to see if there was anyway he could get away from this feline. But there wasn’t, and soon he was cornered against the wall by the beast.

Sol tried to slip away from him, but Alegor put his thick arm in his way. He scraped his claws against the wall, causing Sol to flinch and cover his ears. Alegor smiled down at him, but it was not a friendly smile. There was intent in those eyes. Also a tinge of anger. Sol regretted his decision of joining forces with Vice even more now.

“I heard about you.” Alegor said, his voice having a growly edge to it. “You are Sol. Vice’s partner.”

“Former partner...” Sol said quickly.

Alegor narrowed his eyes. “It doesn’t matter. You still have a connection with that witch. And while I understand you may not have been involved with what happened to my brother...” He grabbed Sol and slammed him against the wall. He pulled his hand back, his clawed fingers tightening in a fist. “The fact that you were her partner at all is unforgiveable. And I’m a nice guy and I do like to share...” Sol gulped at this. “So allow me to give you something too...”

Sol turned his head and waited for the blow.

sss

Rudy looked down at Snap sympathetically as they hung out in Snap’s tree house, which they hadn’t been in for a while due to all that was happening. Blocky and Rapsheeba unfortunately had to leave. They didn’t want to. They wanted to stay. But they were both being called to the police station to give them information on what Sol had been doing when he was disguised as Snap. They promised to be back as soon as they could.

Penny was sitting next to Snap, the opposite side of where Rudy was. The small zoner was leaning up against him, pressing his body against him for comfort. Rudy looped an arm around his friend and held him close. He could feel his body shaking and hear low whimpers of distress emitted from his throat. Penny moved her hand towards him and ran it along the back of his head comfortingly. He looked up at her for a second before putting his face back against Rudy.

Seeing Snap like this, suffering from a ‘mild’ relapse, was distressing for Rudy and Penny. Ever since that trial, Snap’s old fears had been reawakened. Though not as intense as they were before, Snap was back to having some negative reaction to the mirror and being afraid of being alone. The small amount of happiness he had been able to feel had been drained from him and he was back to being a scared little boy. It was heartbreaking for them to watch. His mental progress had been doing so well, only for it to plummet back down, setting it back a few steps.

And it all happened during that trial. All because of Vice... Rudy narrowed his eyes and clenched his teeth. That monster... It was because of her that Snap was like this again. Sol hadn’t really said much of anything during the trial, at least not that them. But Vice...more than once, she threw some kind of hateful comment to Snap, giving indication that she wanted him to die. And threatening him like that... That was a low blow. By the end of the trial, Snap was so shaken up that they couldn’t go peppermint bowling. Snap was too scared and had pleaded that they go to his tree house instead where the familiar surroundings would help him feel safe.

Rudy and the others tried their best to calm him down. They tried to tell him that he was safe, that Vice was never going to be able to hurt him. But nothing seemed to get through to him. Not this time. It didn’t surprise them too much. After all, that monster had done a lot to him during his ‘visit’ at her hospital. He was tortured and almost always in pain. That wasn’t something that he could just ‘get over’. It was going to take a long time. Still, it was so sad for them to watch him deteriorate backwards a little because of some nasty comments Vice made at the court.

At least Vice was gone now, along with Sol. They were both sent to a high security prison where there was little to no chance of them ever escaping. They won’t be able to hurt Snap ever again. He hoped that, wherever they ended up, they both learn to regret what they had done. They both screwed up big time and put themselves in that situation. They both made the choice to hurt Snap and it cost them a lot more than it was worth it. And all those zoners whom Vice had killed in the past, they did finally get the closure they deserved.

His thoughts were torn as he heard Snap let out a few loud whimpers. Penny moved closer to him, pressing herself against him in an attempt to comfort him. She and Rudy looked down at him sympathically. Rudy wished he knew what he could do to cheer Snap up. But his mind was drawing a blank. He had tried reassuring him, with the help of Penny, but that didn’t seem to do much for him. Vice’s words clearly haunted him. They stuck to his head and they weren’t going to leave him alone.

Still he had to try something, anything. He hated seeing his friend like this, and so did Penny. They wanted him to be happy again. He would never fully recover if he continued being afraid, if he allowed Vice’s horrible words to plague him like that.

“Snap, please...” Rudy said softly. He shifted himself so he could put both his arms around his shivering friend. “It will be okay. They can’t hurt you anymore...”

“Yeah, Snap.” Penny stroked the top of his head gently. “You’ll be safe. Vice and Sol are both in jail now. They can never get to you again.”

At this, Snap said, “H-How can you be sure? V-Vice might find a way out... Sol might, t-too... You know what they say...e-e-every prison has a w-way out...” He let out a few low cries and cuddled closer to Rudy. “I-I don’t want them to get me again..”

Rudy rubbed his back gently. “And they won’t. That prison would be so hard for them to break out of it just won’t be worth it for them.” His heart clenched as Snap’s body continued to tremble. “They won’t get out. I promise.”

“And what if they do?” Snap’s voice filled with even more fear. “What if they come back for me and...and k-kill me...?”

“Snap, don’t be ridiculous.” Penny said soothingly. Rudy released Snap so the zoner could turn around and wrap his arms around Penny. She held onto him and gently rubbed his back with her hand. Snap pressed his head against her shoulder and continued to cry. “I told you before. That prison is too hard to break out of. Do you really think they would waste all their time and effort to get out? And plus, it’s more heavily guarded than most prisons. You can trust us, Snap. They can’t get out and hurt you. Please...please calm down...”

Snap just continued to cry. His tears started to stain Penny’s shirt, just like they had with Rudy’s. Rudy ran his hand along Snap’s head in an attempt to soothe him. They looked down at him sympathetically, their hearts clenching as he continued to cry. Rudy knew they needed to find some way to get the zoner’s mind off of Vice and Sol. But how? He tried to search his mind for a solution, but at the moment, nothing came up.

“I don’t want them to get me again...” Snap whined. “I-I don’t want to get hurt again...”

“Shhh....” Penny whispered. “It’ll be okay... You’ll be safe... We’ll protect you. We promise.”

“Snap, I know you’re scared, but please...understand.” Rudy said in a gentle voice. “You’re only making things harder. We promise, Vice and Sol can’t hurt you anymore. We’re your friends and we will keep you safe. Please Snap...it hurts us to see you this way. We want you to be happy again. Please...it’ll be okay... You’ll be okay..”

Snap turned his head. Rudy’s heart tightened when he saw Snap look at him with reddened, tear-filled eyes. “B-But...”

Rudy put his hand on his cheek and caressed it. “Snap, it’s over. They are locked up. They will never be getting out. They can’t inflict anymore harm on you.” Snap stared at him, tears still flowing down his cheeks. “If you keep letting fear grip you like this, Snap, if you’re never truly happy again, not only will it hurt you and us, but it would mean that Sol and Vice won. Don’t let them have the last laugh, Snap. Don’t allow them to control you like this. Please...”

Snap pulled away from Penny and sat between his two friends for a few seconds, wiping away his tears. He looked up at Rudy and Penny and, though he was still clearly distressed, he offered a small smile. “I-I’ll try...”

Rudy and Penny smiled at this. Snap was clearly still afraid. The fear was still in his eyes. The smile was small, and a little forced. But it was better than nothing. The two of them placed an arm around Snap, gripping his shoulders gently. Snap was comforted by this and his smile broadened a tad. They stayed close to him like this for a few minutes, listening as his cries slowed and quieted down.

Rudy then got an idea. He finally realized what he could do to help Snap feel better. He didn’t know why he didn’t think of it before. He took out his magic chalk and looked down at Snap. The zoner looked up at him, waiting for him to speak.

“Hey...” Rudy said in a soft tone. “Why don’t we play a nice game of chinese chalkers?”

Snap’s eyes brightened up a little at that. “Sure...” He said, his voice containing some tinge of happiness in it. “I’d love that.”


	25. Healing Endings

Peppermint bowling was a pretty strange game. Snap wasn’t sure if he could get the hang of it. The rules were quite different. Well he had been expecting that. What he wasn’t counting on was just how vastly different the game was to bowling. It got to the point where he wondered why it was even called bowling at all.

The game used six pins and they were lined up in a row. There was a gap in the middle. The goal was to roll the bowling ball between this gap without knocking over the pins, or knocking over as little as possible. The person with the lowest score was declared the winner. Snap had quite a time trying to adjust to these rules, since he was so used to having to knock over the pins, and used to them being arranged in a triangle, not a straight row. And there were a few times where he would forget a rule, such as how getting a gutterball would cost him a turn since it would be cheating.

But regardless of the confusion at times, Snap did enjoy the game. It was something different, something unique. He and his friends had come over earlier today to start playing. They’ve been here for about two hours now, and there was no signs of them leaving yet. Rudy and Penny might have to go soon, but Rapsheeba and Blocky could stay with him all day. So after his human friends leave, he’ll continue playing with Rapsheeba and Blocky.

He wouldn’t doubt it if his friends were starting to get sick of the game. They never really said anything to him. Nobody spoke up and said ‘Let’s stop’. They just let him keep playing. It was probably because they liked seeing him try to have fun and enjoy himself. He was doing his best to enjoy the game and not let any negative thoughts enter his head. It wasn’t easy, though. Even as he played game after game, even as he cheered his friends on, sometimes bad thoughts crept into his head and it was hard to let go of it.

He was still a little shaken up by what Vice had said to him during the trial. What scared him the most was the mixed message she had sent. In one breath, she strongly hinted that she just wanted him to flat out die. And in the other, she wanted to vivisect him and keep him alive for as long as possible. She had even brought up the whole ‘skinning him’ thing in court. He was glad to know that her horrible outbursts landed her an even tougher sentence, but it still shook him up just thinking about it.

He did his best to cast those thoughts aside. He tried to focus on the colorful game he was playing. He was supposed to be having fun. Rudy was right. He couldn’t let Vice and Sol control him like this. They would want him to continue to suffer because, if he did, they would have won, in a sense. He needed to prove to them, to himself, that they no longer had a hold over him. And the best way to do that was just to have fun and enjoy himself. He was having a lot of fun with this game, and he let its positive experience influence him, keeping that smile on his face even as the bad memories sometimes crept to the front.

He grabbed onto the bowling ball, which, for this game, was shaped like, well obviously, a large peppermint, complete with that mint smell and red stripes along its edges. It was harder to roll it competed to a regular bowling ball. It was especially hard rolling it without it falling over. But he did get the hang of it and now it almost never fell down, thankfully. He hated having to walk along the alley to fix it.

He walked up to the edge and positioned himself. His hand on the peppermint-shaped bowling ball, he moved his arm back and he rolled it. He watched as the bowling ball went along the alley towards where the pins were. He watched intently, biting his lip. The ball was getting close to the middle. It looks like it was going to make it this time. But to his dismay, as the bowling ball got through the center, it still grazed one of the pins and it toppled down. He let out a frustrated groan. He was so close.

“That was a good try, Snap!” Rapsheeba shouted as she grabbed onto her bowling ball. She walked up to Snap and gave him a smile. “So close!”

Snap nodded at her, smiling. “Yeah...very close.” He looked back as he watched the machinery rearrange the pins. Or rather, just pick up the one pin that fell down. He looked back at Rapsheeba and said, “Well it’s your turn.”

Snap walked back over to the seats where Rudy, Penny, and Blocky were. Like him, they were all wearing bowling uniforms as well as bowling shoes. They smiled and waved at him as he went over to them and sat down. He positioned himself between Rudy and Blocky. He looked over and watched as Rapsheeba stepped up, preparing to roll her ball. Unlike regular bowling, peppermint bowling only allowed one roll per person, so he would be up again very soon.

He watched as Rapsheeba rolled her ball down. She had better luck than he and her ball managed to go through the hole without knocking over any of the pins. They all let out a cheer and clapped for her success. Rapsheeba grinned at them and walked back to take a seat.

“Congratulations!” Penny said, still clapping her hands. “That was a great toss!”

“Thanks, Penny!” Rapsheeba said as she sat down.

Rudy got up from his seat. “I believe it’s my turn.” He grinned. He walked over towards the alley. “I’ll show you how a master does it!”

Snap chuckled at Rudy’s playfulness, especially when he flashed that smile at them. He wasn’t actually implying he was better than them. His comment wasn’t really meant to be taken seriously, at least not like that. It did feel good to be able to smile and laugh, especially after what he himself had been through. Thinking about it did bring about a sharp pang in his stomach, especially where he had been sliced open during the ‘awake surgery’. That area still ached him from time to time. But unlike before, briefly remembering the pain didn’t cause him to fill up with terror. Instead, he focused on having a good time wih his friends.

Rudy stepped up to the plate now, figuratively speaking. He grabbed his ball and began to roll it down the alley with a single thrust of his arm. The ball didn’t end up going straight. It must have been the way Rudy had angled it, because instead of going through the center, it ended up jerking off to the side and, somehow, knocking over all the pins. Rudy stared at this in shock, but instead of getting mad about it, he just burst into laughter.

“I guess I need to work on my rolling skills.” Rudy cast them a sideways glance. “Don’t you think, guys?”

Penny giggled, her hand to her mouth. “Well it was a good try at least!”

With a smile on his face, Rudy walked over to his friends. He looked at Penny and made a gesture with his thumb. “It’s your turn!”

“Oh!” Penny said as she got up. “I almost forgot!”

“Yeah, so did I. Good thing you said something, Rudy, because I was about to get up.” Blocky said sheepishly.

Snap patted him on his back. “Don’t worry, Blocky. We all make mistakes sometimes.”

“Yeah, don’t worry about it.” Penny said as she picked up her bowling ball. “It’ll be your turn after me. When I get back, I’ll write down the order so it’ll be easier for all of us to remember.”

“I know it’s your turn, I just...” Blocky said, the same sheepish smile on his face. “I just had a memory lapse for a second. Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Rapsheeba said, sitting down next to Blocky. “Let’s just continue the game, okay?”

Snap watched as Penny went over to take her turn at peppermint bowling. As he watched her start to bowl, his mind reeled with thoughts of what happened. Though he had tried not to think about it, it was a little difficult not to. Thoughts of what happened over the course of a few days entered his head. The dreaded ‘hospital’ where he had been tortured, both physically and mentally. He recalled just how much he had suffered, the pain he had gone through. He didn’t think he would ever forget it. How could anyone forget something like that?

He still had nightmares about it, mostly of the surgery when he was awake and when Sol tormented him while in his disguise. The dreams were often painful. He could have sworn the dreams were even more painful than how it actually was in real life, not that it really mattered in the end. He’d sometimes wake up in the middle of the night crying as he tried to remind himself that it was just a dream and that he hadn’t been recaptured somehow. At least the dreams were becoming less and less frequent. That was good at least. And his friends did reassure him anytime he brought those horrid dreams up.

He was able to handle the horrible memories a little better. They’ll always be painful to him, even if just dully. But he had an easier time coping with them whenever he remembered what happened, whether by accident or not. He knew that, in time, it would be even easier thinking about what happened to him without breaking down into despair. It would still hurt him, but it would get easier, especially with his friends’ help.

As for Sol and Vice...yeah he’d probably always have some fear for them. He might always be, at least a little bit, afraid of them after what they had done to him. Whenever he felt pain in his chest or his arms, he was reminded of them specifically, the crimes they committed against him. They had hurt him so much. They had done whatever they could to crush his spirit and his hope. And it wasn’t like he ever did anything to them. They did it all to him just to be sadistic. Well he wasn’t going to let them control him. He wasn’t going to let them get the last laugh. They got caught despite them believing they could get away with it, and now they were suffering the consequences.

He wasn’t sure if they would ever truly feel remorse for what they did. Regret that they got caught..maybe. He could see that. But he doubted that they would ever really feel truly sorry for what they did. Heck, he wouldn’t be surprised if Sol blamed him, at least in part, for what had happened. He could just imagine that evil Snip laying in his cell, cursing out his name. But this time, unlike on the Snip planet, Sol was not able to carry out any evil acts of ‘revenge’. No, he was stuck in the jail for the rest of his life, along with Vice.

Snap still had some fear of them escaping, but he had looked into the jail himself. His friends had reassured him, but he wanted to be sure. He gathered information on the jail Vice and Sol were sent to. Turns out that the one they were sent to had zero reported escapes. This didn’t mean there was none; maybe some unknown zoner got out. But what it did tell Snap is that his friends were absolutely right. The jail Vice and Sol were sent to were so heavily guarded and well protected that they had almost no chance of getting out. This did help him feel better and he was able to relax a little more.

There were some questions about Vice and Sol he still wanted to know. There were some things he wanted to ask about them, information he wanted to find. There were somethings he just...could not understand. He wasn’t sure if he would ever get the answers either. Even if he went over to their cell for a visit, it was unlikely they’d be willing to talk to him. They’d both make threats and verbally abuse him. They’d say anything to him just to make him terrified.

Most of the questions, he didn’t really have to know the answer to anyway. One of the few that came to his mind that might be worth knowing is...just what kind of kid creates a Snip like Sol? It was obvious the zoner had been ‘born’ that way. The artist who drew him intended on him being a psychopath who hated him. But why? He spoke to his friends about it and Rudy did come up with an idea. The kid who drew Sol might have been jealous of Snap’s comic’s success, and they drew an ‘Anti-Snap’ of sorts to be a ‘Mary Sue’ villain or whatever.

Not exactly a good reason, but Snap had to agree, it was one of the only theories that makes sense. It would explain why Sol hated him so much. If his creator hated him or was jealous, and if Sol was created with that purpose, it would certainly reflect. It would be why Sol’s hatred was so unwavering, he would go as far as allow all of ChalkZone to suffer just to get at him. Well at least they can’t do anything now. They couldn’t make anymore plans. They couldn’t hurt anyone. They were trapped in the jail for the rest of their lives. Snap hoped that they would take that as an inspiration to really think about what they did and, hopefully, maybe years down the line, learn how to feel true remorse for their actions.

“Hey Snap! You’re up now!” Rudy cried, nudging his friend.

“Oh what?” Snap shook his head, getting himself back to reality. “Sorry, I must have blanked out for a bit.”

“That’s okay. It was a little noisy in here, so we understand if you couldn’t hear us right away.” Rudy said, a smile on his face. He made a gesture with his arm. “Go on, it’s your turn.”

Snap got up and walked over to the alley. He grabbed his bowling ball and stared intently at the pins. Getting into position, he pulled his arm back and he rolled the ball. As he watched it go down towards the pins, he couldn’t help but smile, knowing that, for him, the nightmare was finally over. There was still some recovering left to do, but his prognosis looked great. It felt great to be alive.

sss

Sol grimaced at the food that was placed on his plate. It didn’t look very appetizing. But oh well, it wasn’t like he could really complain around here. He been in here for about two weeks now. He was getting used to it. The nasty food here wasn’t really dangerous for consumption and actually wasn’t bad once he got used to it. Not wanting to hear complaints from the other inmates behind him, Sol hurried along and went over into the cafeteria to find a seat.

It was a particularly large prison, so it came as no surprise to Sol when a ton of the seats were already taken. He looked around, trying to find a seat. He looked around, curling his lip up in disgust. He really didn’t want to sit down with anyone. It didn’t help that he associated himself with Vice. There were a lot of inmates here who hated her, and in turn, hated him due to association. At least none of the other inmates tried to pummel them, but that was only because Alegor ‘claimed them as his own’. In other words, he wanted to do all the pounding himself, since he was one of the largest, strongest inmates. Sol and Vice both couldn’t decide if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

Alegor really didn’t beat them up that often. To date, he could only recall three beatings, and they were all at random. Sol guessed it was to keep them on edge. If he was trying to scare them by not falling into a pattern so they’ll never know when they’d be hurt...well it was working. He and Vice both felt uncomfortable around the large cat, especially Vice. And lucky them, they were stuck with him almost all the time, even during cafeteria when, at times, they’re stuck sitting with him. Most of the time, he wouldn’t hurt them and at worst, he’d try to scare them, playing up on their fears.

Alegor’s treatment of them felt like karma. They had treated Snap a similar way, especially Vice. He narrowed his eyes at the thought. It was just fitting for them to go through the same thing, only this time, they weren’t getting out of it, like Snap had. This just made him regret working with Vice even more. In the end, he shouldn’t have gone after Snap to begin with. Though he was happy he suffered, in the end, he realized it just wasn’t worth it, and he should have just left the little blue rodent alone.

He wasn’t really sure how Vice felt about the whole thing, but it wasn’t like he cared. It wasn’t his problem. He might be stuck with her for the rest of his life, but that didn’t mean he had to start caring what she thought. The last time he had listened to her, it ultimately landed in him getting arrested and sent here. Not that listening to her could do any worse at this point, but, for now, he just didn’t care what she thought.

He then found a seat with relatively few people around it. Yeah, this spot would have to do. He went over to the table and pulled the chair back. He sat down and got ready to eat his lunch. On the table, like any other, was a newspaper. It was one of the very few forms of ‘entertainment’ they were allowed. Sol often read the newspaper out of shere boredom. Nothing written it really affected him in any shape or form. It was often just the same old stuff anyway. Sometimes he wished for something different, but oh well. Not like he really had a say in the matter anyway.

“Well well...fancy you’d show up here.”

Sol lifted up his head. He knew that voice. He looked over at one of the seats not far from him. He growled in disgust. “Oh it’s you, Vice...how long have you been there?”

“I just sat down.” Vice replied, narrowing her eyes. “Why? Is it a problem?”

Sol growled and turned his head away. “Sit anywhere you want. I don’t care.”

Vice humphed at this, looking down at him with a sideways glance. He could see he hatred practically radiating off her eyes. He was certain his were doing the same. Her lip pulled up in disgust and she said, “I sure hope you don’t plan on eating all of that.”

“Why?” Sol glared at her. “You can’t stomach it?”

“No, it’s not that.” Vice shook her head. “The last time you ate that whole thing, you spent all night snoring like you turned into a fucking chainsaw. I don’t know what it is about that, or what these lunchladies here put in it. But it disagrees with you in the most bizarre way possible.” She slammed her hoof hand next to him, shaking the table slightly. “Do me a favor and don’t eat all of that.”

Sol narrowed his eyes. If it weren’t for the shock collars, he would have slapped her as a response. Since he could not, he replied, “I owe you no favors, fucker.” He grabbed his coffee and drank it. “So deal with it.”

“Why you little rodent...!” Vice growled. “If these shock collars weren’t on, I would..!”

Sol just smiled up at her mischeviously. “You would have what?”

Vice opened her mouth to speak. The unicorn was so flustered and angry, though, that she couldn’t think of a response. She fell silent, grumbling something under her breath. She looked away from Sol and stared down at her food. Sol smirked at this. He liked getting her all frustrated whenever possible. It was fun seeing her get angry. Of course, sometimes she got a laugh at him when she teased and mocked him. He pushed those thoughts aside and looked down at his food.

Suddenly, they heard heavy footsteps rushing towards them. A large shadow loomed over them. A plate was dropped between Sol and Vice. The clang was loud, catching their attention immediately. The two zoners looked up and they could see Alegor standing there. His arms were folded against his chest and he was giving a dark smile at the two of them. He pulled up a seat, being so large he barely fit in most seats around here. The motion was fast, nearly knocking Vice and Sol to the side. They both cringed at the sight of their huge and muscular cellmate.

“Why hello... my little... ‘friends’...” Alegor said, chuckling. He stared down at Sol for a few seconds, and then turned his attention to Vice. Sol was not surprised as Vice was usually the target of his torment. “Did you miss me?” He asked rhetorically.

“Uh..hi...” Vice said nervously, gritting her teeth. She looked down at her food. “I’m trying to have lunch...”

“Yes, yes, I know... I just want to say..hello...” Alegor said in an almost gentle voice.

Sol watched, almost amused, as Alegor put his arm around Vice and pulled her towards him. Vice looked up at Alegor with fear-filled eyes. Her teeth were bared in nervousness. Her ears had almost instantly lowered, pressing against her skull. There were slight shivers to her body as she was trapped against the large feline zoner. There was no way she could wriggle herself out of this. And it wasn’t like she’d try anyway. The last time she did, she got punched by this guy, so she learned it was best to hold still and take it.

Alegor opened his mouth and spoke softly to Vice. “You and I are going to have a lot of fun together tonight..” Vice’s eyes widened in horror at this. “So be prepared...” The feline zoner slowly licked Vice’s cheek from bottom to top, taking his time. Vice was clearly distressed about this and let out a whimper. This just made Alegor’s smile broaden.

Sol turned his head away and looked down at the paper. He needed something to take his mind off what was happening. As much as he hated Vice, as much as he loved seeing her being afraid, he knew that, at any moment, Alegor could turn that on him. He decided to shift his focus away from the large feline just in case he gave the wrong message and he start to torment him next.

Sol held up his cup of coffee and gave it a quick sip. He held the paper up with one hand, reading the headlines. His eyes moved back and forth as he skimmed the titles. Then he saw something that made his eyes open wide in shock. He nearly spit out his coffee as he read it.

It was an article about Snap. Just what he had done, he wasn’t sure. At the moment, his mind couldn’t really focus on what the writing said. The only thing his eyes were on was the picture of Snap. He was smiling. Sol stared in disbelief. The little rodent was actually smiling. After all the pain and misery he and Vice put him through, he was somehow happy again. The realization that Snap was not in the state of terror he had hoped he would be in made Sol’s blood boil. He gripped the news paper tightly, his body shaking in anger.

Not able to take it much longer, he let out a snarl and threw his arms up in the air. “Curse you Snap!” He shouted, his voice so loud that it drew the attention of the other inmates. They all looked at him in confusion. He didn’t care though. He sat there, seething in anger.

He heard a deep growl next to him. Sol slowly turned his head. Alegor was glaring down at him, his teeth bared. Sol realized, in horror, that he had spilled his coffee all over Alegor’s head. Sol’s anger vanished, quickly replaced with shock and fear. For a few seconds, he and Alegor just stared at each other. He shrank down, trying to make himself appear as small as possible. He gave a weak laugh, grinning nervously up at Alegor.

He didn’t stay there for long. He jumped back when Alegor attempted to grab him. The Snip let out screams of terror as he ran through the cafeteria, a very angry feline zoner thundering close behind him.

“Come back here! Just wait until I get my hands on you!”

sss

“Wow, Snap! That was amazing!” Blocky said, a huge smile spread across his face.

“Yeah, you were awesome, Snap my man!” Rapsheeba cheered.

Snap smiled at this. “Thanks, you guys!”

Penny put a hand on his shoulder and said, “It was incredible you were able to do that.”

“Hey, don’t underestimate me, Buckette.” Snap said, grinning broadly at her.

Rudy nodded his head. “Nothing can keep you down for that long, right Snap?”

Snap chuckled. “Right!”

Nothing can keep him down... Yeah that was pretty much true for Snap. Rudy watched the scene play out before him. He couldn’t help but smile. It was hard to believe that, a couple months ago, Snap was horrifically injured and practically on his deathbed. Snap, for a time, had been so scared and frightened, plagued with detailed nightmares almost every night and terrified of being alone. It was an uncomfortable memory and Rudy didn’t like thinking about it.

He never told anyone, but he, too, sometimes had nightmares. He would have dreams where he and Penny found Snap too late. In these dreams, Vice often succeeded in vivisecting Snap and he could vividly recall details of the ribcage being opened and guts everywhere. He felt nauseaous just thinking about it and he tried to put it in the back of his head. He knows that he isn’t alone. He wouldn’t doubt that Penny, Rapsheeba, Blocky, and Snap all had their share of nightmares of the recent events themselves. What happened to Snap was unfair, gruesome, and unforgiveable.

Rudy couldn’t properly express the gratefulness he felt when both Vice and Sol were being punished for what they did. They made their choice to hurt Snap, and they were paying the price for it. Vice especially. She killed countless other zoners, including Boorat, for no reason other than to satisfy her sick desires. Well now she was in a place where she couldn’t do that anymore. She was never going to get out. She will never be able to hurt anyone ever again.

Rudy was glad that Snap didn’t let his fears control him forever. The incident at the trial did bring him back a little and caused him to become afraid for a time. But his words and encouragement, along with the others’, did help calm Snap down. Rudy was certain he was still afraid at least on some level, but at least he was no longer letting it hold him back. He was living life to the fullest and being happy again. Rudy missed that. During Snap’s recovery, it was hard going through the days without seeing Snap smile that much or be happy. He was so scared. He and the others did what they could, but sometimes, they couldn’t say anything that would cheer the little zoner up.

Now those days were over, or at least so he hoped. Snap was doing much better lately. He still sometimes suffered from dull pain from his injuries, mostly his chest wound. But they were manageable and Snap usually didn’t have to take medication for it. If he did, just over-the-counter stuff. The pain dulled each day, and Rudy suspected that, in a couple days to two weeks, the pain should be completely gone.

The scars would remain though. They had spoken to the doctors and they said that Snap’s scars would never fade completely. Everywhere that Snap had been injured, whether it be by Vice or Sol’s hands, would have a mark there of some kind, whether it be faint or more noticeable. It did make Rudy feel sad that Snap would have physical reminders of what happened to him. But the zoner has been handling it well, and it helped that, with his leotard, nearly all the scars were covered anyway, with only a small scar on his right ear visible.

It was a wonderful feeling knowing that, despite all that Snap was put through, he was able to be happy once again. He wouldn’t doubt that Sol and Vice would not be happy to know about this. He wondered if jail has newspapers. He could just imagine the look on their faces when they see that the damage they caused Snap did not have the deep psychological damage that they wanted. Well yes, Snap was still afraid and emotionally scarred, but he was getting better, despite the horrible things he was put through. He hoped those two could read the newspaper that was released today. He hoped that they get it through their heads just how much they lost, how much they screwed up. Let’s see them try to destroy Snap’s happiness now.

They had been getting ready to leave the peppermint bowling alley when someone had accidentally knocked over something. He forget what it was, but the end result was that the alley was on fire. Most of the zoners, including him and his friends, got out. There was one zoner trapped inside, unable to get out as the front of the alleyway collapsed. Snap had managed to find an opening small enough for him and he went inside, ignoring the cries from other zoners for him to stay away, that it was too dangerous. He did come out later with the zoner. He suffered a few small burns, but he, as well as the zoner, were otherwise okay. It was an amazing feat and some zoner reporters wanted to do a story on it. The paper was released very quickly.

He was torn from his thoughts when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked over and he could see Penny. He smiled at her. “What is it?”

“Are you ready for that sleepover?” Penny asked. “I have everything arranged with my mother, so it’s not a problem. How about you?”

Rudy nodded his head. “Yeah, it’s all worked out.”

Penny grinned at this. “That’s good!”

It hadn’t been easy convincing his folks without looking suspicious. He wouldn’t doubt Penny had a hard time doing the same thing with her mother. But in the end, they knew it was going to be worth it. It was Rapsheeba’s idea and she had relayed it to them. They all thought it was a wonderful idea. After what Snap had been forced through, he deserved something like this.

They were all going to stay over at his treehouse tonight. It was pretty easy for Rapsheeba and Blocky to sleepover. It was a little harder with Rudy and Penny because they had to find a way to trick their folks into thinking they were staying over the others’ place. Coming up with what lies to tell them was tricky, as they almost never do this sort of thing. In the end, they had been able to convince them, and they spent some time planning what they were going to do at the sleepover. There were a number of games and what not they could play, and Blocky suggested they bring over movies to watch. Snap was excited by the whole thing.

Rudy watched, a smile on his face, as his friends chattered excitedly amongst each other. He watched for a few moments before he walked over and joined in. There was talk of chinese chalkers, which was one of Snap’s favorite games, as well as some new ones he never heard of, such as apple chess and twised ladders. They were definitely going to have a lot of fun tonight. He had to remind himself to bring snacks and drinks, though, since he and Penny can’t consume chalk stuff.

“Come on!” Snap cried, catching everyone’s attention. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

With that, the little zoner started to run towards the direction of his treehouse. Blocky and Raspheeba took off after him, telling him to slow down. Rudy and Penny watched this for a moment. They cast each other a glance, a little surprised. Then they smiled each other, both feeling happy that things appear to be going back to normal. They soon took off after the three zoners.

As they ran, Rudy took a moment to reflect on all that had happened. How they were tricked by Sol, how Snap was found badly hurt, how Snap’s recovery had been difficult, the trial for Sol and Vice, it all swirled in his head. It stung a little, knowing that Snap had been through hell. But at least things were much better now. And as they approached Snap’s house, Rudy knew one thing for certain.

The nightmare was finally over.


End file.
